Is it true that American Jews may never forgive Israel for its reaction to the Pittsburgh massacre? Should it be true?

Our Rabin, Not Yours!

Leftists use whistles, stadium horns and vuvuzelas to drown out right-wing speakers at the 23rd annual memorial of Rabin’s assassination. Why has the left become more combative about our slain Prime Minister’s legacy?

Bloch Shock

A feminist woman with spectacular karma just became mayor of a majority ultra-orthodox town in Israel. How the hell did that happen?

Extra Segment: “Countries Without Nationalism are like People Without Souls”

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we will discuss an essay by Gil Troy called, “No, Nationalism is Not a Dirty Word or Trump Property.” Is nationalism the problem or the solution? Or is it more complicated than that?

Music

Spinster Sister, in honor of their new singles ahead of their first record in thirteen years!

You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet

Poison

Declaration

Mirror Instead

]]>Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Mourning in America

Is it true that American Jews may never forgive Israel for its reaction to the Pittsburgh massacre? Should it be true?

Our Rabin, Not Yours!

Leftists use whistles, stadium horns and vuvuzelas to drown out right-wing speakers at the 23rd annual memorial of Rabin’s assassination. Why has the left become more combative about our slain Prime Minister’s legacy?

Bloch Shock

A feminist woman with spectacular karma just became mayor of a majority ultra-orthodox town in Israel. How the hell did that happen?

Extra Segment: “Countries Without Nationalism are like People Without Souls”

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we will discuss an essay by Gil Troy called, “No, Nationalism is Not a Dirty Word or Trump Property.” Is nationalism the problem or the solution? Or is it more complicated than that?

Music

Spinster Sister, in honor of their new singles ahead of their first record in thirteen years!

You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet

Poison

Declaration

Mirror Instead

]]>01:10:26noWe discuss 1) what some see as an insulting attempt by Israeli politicians to turn the mass-murder in Pittsburgh into an opportunity to suck up to Trump 2) a new combative attitude on Israel’s left about the lessons of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination 3) the shocking victory of a feminist mayoral candidate in a majority ultra-orthodox townfullThe “Peace Happens” EditionThe “Peace Happens” EditionThu, 08 Nov 2018 18:36:51 +0000Crashing the First International Conference on Innovations in Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Don and Noah discuss seeking peace amidst violence and distrust, the secular and profane, ancient enmities and fragile hopes, with Northern Irish leaders who helped to end centuries-old conflict between Protestants and Catholics, Unionists and Republicans. What, if anything, do we have to learn from their experience?

Don and Noah then discuss with a rabbi and former MK and Minister, the roles religions play in prolonging and, perhaps, resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

God, country, violence, faith, hatred, love, death and rebirth: this episode has got it all! All that and the soulful Irish music of The Bloomers, and the genial good-will of Natalie Goodis!

Between Belfast, Bethlehem and Beer Sheva

What can Israelis and Palestinians learn from Northern Ireland? A lot, says former First Minister Peter Robinson, who devoted his life to finding peace among Protestants and Catholics.

Light Out from the Nations?

What else can Israelis and Palestinians learn from Northern Ireland? So so much, says Rev. Gary Mason, who devoted his life to finding peace among Protestants and Catholics.

Gods of War, Gods of Peace

Is religion a barrier to peace between Jews and Palestinians? Rabbi, MK and Minister Michael Melchior says that the path to peace is paved with religion.

]]>Crashing the First International Conference on Innovations in Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Don and Noah discuss seeking peace amidst violence and distrust, the secular and profane, ancient enmities and fragile hopes, with Northern Irish leaders who helped to end centuries-old conflict between Protestants and Catholics, Unionists and Republicans. What, if anything, do we have to learn from their experience?

Don and Noah then discuss with a rabbi and former MK and Minister, the roles religions play in prolonging and, perhaps, resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

God, country, violence, faith, hatred, love, death and rebirth: this episode has got it all! All that and the soulful Irish music of The Bloomers, and the genial good-will of Natalie Goodis!

Between Belfast, Bethlehem and Beer Sheva

What can Israelis and Palestinians learn from Northern Ireland? A lot, says former First Minister Peter Robinson, who devoted his life to finding peace among Protestants and Catholics.

Light Out from the Nations?

What else can Israelis and Palestinians learn from Northern Ireland? So so much, says Rev. Gary Mason, who devoted his life to finding peace among Protestants and Catholics.

Gods of War, Gods of Peace

Is religion a barrier to peace between Jews and Palestinians? Rabbi, MK and Minister Michael Melchior says that the path to peace is paved with religion.

Coolooloosh, celebrating the tenth anniversary re-release of their classic album Elements of Sound and their forthcoming reunion concert at the Barbie in Tel Aviv on November 14.

People of the Street

Elements of Sound

Music Business

Lock your Doors

]]>01:09:08noWe discuss 1) what it may mean that rabbis did not protest the passage of a very liberal abortion law 2) whether we need more professorial types in politics 3) why Israeli parents are so unworried about dangers facing their kids out and about in the world.fullThe “Gaga for the GA!” EditionThe “Gaga for the GA!” EditionThu, 25 Oct 2018 15:55:17 +0000Allison, Don and Noah gather agog among the movers and the shakers at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America to discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

It’s Not Over ‘til the Yellow Bird Sings

The “Canary Mission” is a website clearinghouse of information about American students, professors and organizations who are critical of Israel. What impact does its “this-will-go-on-your-permanent-record” trolling of Jewish American (and other) critics of Israel have on all of us?

Marks and Surplus Values

If “Jewish values” are used to justify both right-wing and left-wing positions, there is any value to them at all? Is it time to stick a fork in “Jewish Values”?

Schools of De-Zion

There's an amazing resurrection in America of hip Yiddishism and Bundism and all sorts of spectacular Jewish cultural creativity, the roots of which reach back to sources that have little to do with Israel and Zionism. Should we celebrate or mourn this creative de-Zionising?

Music

The soulfulness of Naama Cooper and Natan Kamen

]]>Allison, Don and Noah gather agog among the movers and the shakers at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America to discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

It’s Not Over ‘til the Yellow Bird Sings

The “Canary Mission” is a website clearinghouse of information about American students, professors and organizations who are critical of Israel. What impact does its “this-will-go-on-your-permanent-record” trolling of Jewish American (and other) critics of Israel have on all of us?

Marks and Surplus Values

If “Jewish values” are used to justify both right-wing and left-wing positions, there is any value to them at all? Is it time to stick a fork in “Jewish Values”?

Schools of De-Zion

There's an amazing resurrection in America of hip Yiddishism and Bundism and all sorts of spectacular Jewish cultural creativity, the roots of which reach back to sources that have little to do with Israel and Zionism. Should we celebrate or mourn this creative de-Zionising?

Music

The soulfulness of Naama Cooper and Natan Kamen

]]>01:13:24noWe discuss 1) Why have we Jews started to surveil and troll each other when we disagree about Israel? 2) Is it time to stick a fork in “Jewish Values”? 3) Are efforts to de-zionize Jewish culture a cause for celebration or mourning?fullThe “Salts of the Earth” EditionThe “Salts of the Earth” EditionThu, 18 Oct 2018 14:56:02 +0000Subscribe to our WhyWhyWhy! True Stories from Israel podcast

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

What’s Good for the Goose

Polls show that former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz may soon be one of Israel’s most powerful politicians, even though no one knows what he thinks about anything. Why do we keep falling in love with strong, silent types in uniforms?

So You Couldn’t Find a Nice Jewish News Anchorwoman?

The winningest wedding of Israel’s social season is between a Muslim anchorwoman and a Jewish actor. Is it racist to have misgivings about “mixed marriages”?

“If I Creative-Class Thee, O’ Jerusalem”

Do we want Jerusalem 2.0, a shangrila for creative class types, tap-tap-tapping their screenplay into their laptop at the hip neighborhood café?

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss Israel’s “Fame Drain.” Should we care that so many on Israel’s A list are heading for Hollywood?

Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

What’s Good for the Goose

Polls show that former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz may soon be one of Israel’s most powerful politicians, even though no one knows what he thinks about anything. Why do we keep falling in love with strong, silent types in uniforms?

So You Couldn’t Find a Nice Jewish News Anchorwoman?

The winningest wedding of Israel’s social season is between a Muslim anchorwoman and a Jewish actor. Is it racist to have misgivings about “mixed marriages”?

“If I Creative-Class Thee, O’ Jerusalem”

Do we want Jerusalem 2.0, a shangrila for creative class types, tap-tap-tapping their screenplay into their laptop at the hip neighborhood café?

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss Israel’s “Fame Drain.” Should we care that so many on Israel’s A list are heading for Hollywood?

Music

Roei Freilich, who just rocked the IndieNegev Festival!

HaLayla He Tirkod

Hatzlacha

Af Paam Lo Eheyeh Rakdan

Rotzeh Lehishaer Raev (with Rafi Adar)

]]>01:17:51noWe discuss 1) the enthusiasm polled for Lt. General Benny Gantz, who may soon be one of Israel’s most powerful politicians 2) the celebrity wedding between a Muslim news anchor and a Jewish actor 3) plans to create “Jerusalem 2.0”fullThe “Jewesses Packing Heat” EditionThe “Jewesses Packing Heat” EditionThu, 11 Oct 2018 15:25:32 +0000In this partially archival yet still very fresh edition of the Promised Podcast, we rebroadcast two segments from prior episodes, followed by a brand new third segment for your aural pleasure. Starring in this episode, in no particular order, are Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman, Bradley Burston, Miriam Herschlag, Gilad Halpern, and Noah Efron.

Aging Alone

A report prepared by the Government Research Institute unveiled that 32% of elderly people aged 65-74 in Israel report frequent or occasional feelings of loneliness.

Jewesses Packing Heat

There is something majorly messed up about how men think about Jewish women and, especially, Jewish women with guns. This is proved all too true today with a Girls-of-the IDF pinup calendar, and the icky charge guys get from Jewesses with Guns.

Eurovision Indecision

Is it really so great a thing, after all, for Tel Aviv-Jaffa to be hosting the expensive, disruptive Eurovision next May?

Music

The great Tamar Aphek, who just announced a new show, her first in a while, at Kuli Alma in Tel Aviv, on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 9 pm. Put it on your calendars!

Where Were You?

Dream Inside a Dream

Taking Over

It’s For Us

]]>In this partially archival yet still very fresh edition of the Promised Podcast, we rebroadcast two segments from prior episodes, followed by a brand new third segment for your aural pleasure. Starring in this episode, in no particular order, are Allison Kaplan Sommer, Don Futterman, Bradley Burston, Miriam Herschlag, Gilad Halpern, and Noah Efron.

Aging Alone

A report prepared by the Government Research Institute unveiled that 32% of elderly people aged 65-74 in Israel report frequent or occasional feelings of loneliness.

Jewesses Packing Heat

There is something majorly messed up about how men think about Jewish women and, especially, Jewish women with guns. This is proved all too true today with a Girls-of-the IDF pinup calendar, and the icky charge guys get from Jewesses with Guns.

Eurovision Indecision

Is it really so great a thing, after all, for Tel Aviv-Jaffa to be hosting the expensive, disruptive Eurovision next May?

Music

The great Tamar Aphek, who just announced a new show, her first in a while, at Kuli Alma in Tel Aviv, on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 9 pm. Put it on your calendars!

Where Were You?

Dream Inside a Dream

Taking Over

It’s For Us

]]>57:20noWe discuss 1) a report revealing that 32% of elderly Israelis report frequent or occasional feelings of loneliness 2) how there's something majorly messed up about how men think about Jewish women (especially those with guns) 3) whether it's really so great a thing for Tel Aviv-Jaffa to be hosting the expensive, disruptive Eurovision next May.fullThe “Being Mayor is Tough!” EditionThe “Being Mayor is Tough!” EditionThu, 04 Oct 2018 14:59:38 +0000Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Book Learnin’

The Palestinian Authority publishes its first new schoolbooks in 18 years, and they contain scorched-earth rejection of Jewish presence in Palestine, so much so that the European Union cut Palestinian aid by 15 million Euros. How understanding ought we be of this pedagogy of rage?

Barak, Bezalel and Bennett and the Red Bellheifer

A former Prime Minister, a present Minister of Education and an MK argue about whether Israel’s modern orthodox Jews are quickly becoming more moderate or quickly becoming more fanatical. Who is right?

“Being Mayor is Tough!”

13.5% of city council members in Israel are women. 2% of mayors are. Why is it so damn hard for women to advance in local politics?

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we will discuss what one should do about being trolled by ideological detractors: Turn the other cheek? Fight until the last drop of blood is spilled? Haters gonna hate, and Trolls gonna troll, but is there anything we can do to preserve our honor?

Music

Eden Derso who, at the tender age of 20, is already Israel’s queen of rap, soul and reggae!

Bam Bam באם באם

Yehiye Mah She-Yehiye יהיה מה שיהיה

Shevilim Hadashim שבילים חדשים

Hipus Atzmi חיפוש עצמי

]]>Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Book Learnin’

The Palestinian Authority publishes its first new schoolbooks in 18 years, and they contain scorched-earth rejection of Jewish presence in Palestine, so much so that the European Union cut Palestinian aid by 15 million Euros. How understanding ought we be of this pedagogy of rage?

Barak, Bezalel and Bennett and the Red Bellheifer

A former Prime Minister, a present Minister of Education and an MK argue about whether Israel’s modern orthodox Jews are quickly becoming more moderate or quickly becoming more fanatical. Who is right?

“Being Mayor is Tough!”

13.5% of city council members in Israel are women. 2% of mayors are. Why is it so damn hard for women to advance in local politics?

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we will discuss what one should do about being trolled by ideological detractors: Turn the other cheek? Fight until the last drop of blood is spilled? Haters gonna hate, and Trolls gonna troll, but is there anything we can do to preserve our honor?

Music

Eden Derso who, at the tender age of 20, is already Israel’s queen of rap, soul and reggae!

Bam Bam באם באם

Yehiye Mah She-Yehiye יהיה מה שיהיה

Shevilim Hadashim שבילים חדשים

Hipus Atzmi חיפוש עצמי

]]>01:08:32noWe discuss 1) the new Palestinian Authority school curriculum, which has been criticized for being heavy on radical Islamism 2) whether Israeli Modern Orthodoxy is becoming more moderate or more zealously immoderate 3) why it is so damn hard for Israeli women to advance in local politicsfullThe “Israel, Encapsulated” EditionThe “Israel, Encapsulated” EditionThu, 27 Sep 2018 13:27:00 +0000In this very special, collectors’ edition of the Promised Podcast, we rebroadcast a conversation with one of our favorite writers, the brilliant and enchanting magical-realist writer Etgar Keret, soon after the publication of his 2015 memoir, The Seven Good Years. The interview was done by the wonderful Ilene Prusher, long-time fill-in Promised Podcast panelist, and one-time TLV1 program director.

We also speculate, with Allison, Noah, and The Tel Aviv Review’s Gilad Halpern, about what six items we would each send up in a Voyager-Spacecraft sort of time capsule, to teach eager aliens everything they need to know about Earth’s only Jewish State.

Etgar Keret, on life, literature and low expectations

Etgar Keret on life, literature, longing and lowering expectations.

Israel, Encapsulated

What six items should we pack into a Voyager-Spacecraft sort of time-capsule, to teach eager aliens all they need to know about Earth’s only Jewish State. (And, no, BDS has not yet reached the outer atmosphere.)

Music

Shahar Saul, the 24 year old Tel Aviv rapper who says that his goal is to conquer Israel with his music, then America, then the world: He just might succeed!

“Bachur Shechunah” by Shahar Saul, along with Tzagai Boy and Avi Hailu

“Instagram”, by Shahar Saul with Tzukush

“Mesiba Shehora” by Shahar Saul, with Tzukush

]]>In this very special, collectors’ edition of the Promised Podcast, we rebroadcast a conversation with one of our favorite writers, the brilliant and enchanting magical-realist writer Etgar Keret, soon after the publication of his 2015 memoir, The Seven Good Years. The interview was done by the wonderful Ilene Prusher, long-time fill-in Promised Podcast panelist, and one-time TLV1 program director.

We also speculate, with Allison, Noah, and The Tel Aviv Review’s Gilad Halpern, about what six items we would each send up in a Voyager-Spacecraft sort of time capsule, to teach eager aliens everything they need to know about Earth’s only Jewish State.

Etgar Keret, on life, literature and low expectations

Etgar Keret on life, literature, longing and lowering expectations.

Israel, Encapsulated

What six items should we pack into a Voyager-Spacecraft sort of time-capsule, to teach eager aliens all they need to know about Earth’s only Jewish State. (And, no, BDS has not yet reached the outer atmosphere.)

Music

Shahar Saul, the 24 year old Tel Aviv rapper who says that his goal is to conquer Israel with his music, then America, then the world: He just might succeed!

“Bachur Shechunah” by Shahar Saul, along with Tzagai Boy and Avi Hailu

“Instagram”, by Shahar Saul with Tzukush

“Mesiba Shehora” by Shahar Saul, with Tzukush

]]>01:13:58noWe 1) rebroadcast a conversation with the brilliant writer Etgar Keret and the wonderful Ilene Prusher 2) speculate about what we would send up in a time capsule, to teach eager aliens everything they need to know about Earth’s only Jewish State.fullThe “Oslo at 25” EditionThe “Oslo at 25” EditionThu, 20 Sep 2018 18:12:01 +0000Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

“A New Chapter in the Sad Book of Our Lives”: The Oslo Accords at 25

25 years ago this week, Yitzhak Rabin, Yassir Arafat and Bill Clinton gathered on the White House Lawn and made us believe that maybe a century of Palestinian-Jewish enmity was ending. What do we make of that unfulfilled hope, a quarter of a century later?

Let them play X-Box!, or, The End of the People’s Army?

The IDF plans to draft some for eight years, others for one year, others not at all: Is it finally really time to stick a fork in the notion of a “People’s Army”?

The Hebrew Innoversity

The Hebrew University makes all students – physicists, poets and philosophers – take a course on “entrepreneurship and innovation,” so students will find their way in a gig-economy in a high-tech nation. Is the notion of learning-for-its-own-sake dying before our eyes?

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we will discuss an essay in Haaretz called, “Israel's Opposition Needs Sincere Leaders”, by one-time Labor-lion Uzi Baram, a minister throughout Rabin’s second run as Prime Minister, who argues that “the great mistake of the camp opposing the right is that it hasn’t clearly demarcated the 'good' and 'bad' players, and hasn’t fought for its own truth.” Does he have a point?

Music

Orphaned Land, whose video “Like Orpheus” just won the 2018 Progressive Music Award for Video of the Year, at the world-famous Globe Theatre in London, and whom an online petition nominates for a Nobel Peace Prize!

The Cave

Yedidi

A’Salk

El Meyod Na’ala

]]>Allison Kaplan Sommer, Noah Efron, and Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

“A New Chapter in the Sad Book of Our Lives”: The Oslo Accords at 25

25 years ago this week, Yitzhak Rabin, Yassir Arafat and Bill Clinton gathered on the White House Lawn and made us believe that maybe a century of Palestinian-Jewish enmity was ending. What do we make of that unfulfilled hope, a quarter of a century later?

Let them play X-Box!, or, The End of the People’s Army?

The IDF plans to draft some for eight years, others for one year, others not at all: Is it finally really time to stick a fork in the notion of a “People’s Army”?

The Hebrew Innoversity

The Hebrew University makes all students – physicists, poets and philosophers – take a course on “entrepreneurship and innovation,” so students will find their way in a gig-economy in a high-tech nation. Is the notion of learning-for-its-own-sake dying before our eyes?

For our most spectacularly generous patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we will discuss an essay in Haaretz called, “Israel's Opposition Needs Sincere Leaders”, by one-time Labor-lion Uzi Baram, a minister throughout Rabin’s second run as Prime Minister, who argues that “the great mistake of the camp opposing the right is that it hasn’t clearly demarcated the 'good' and 'bad' players, and hasn’t fought for its own truth.” Does he have a point?

Music

Orphaned Land, whose video “Like Orpheus” just won the 2018 Progressive Music Award for Video of the Year, at the world-famous Globe Theatre in London, and whom an online petition nominates for a Nobel Peace Prize!

The Cave

Yedidi

A’Salk

El Meyod Na’ala

]]>01:10:25noWe discuss 1) our dashed hopes that the Oslo Peace Process would end a century of conflict 2) a new IDF plans to draft some soldiers for up to 8 years and others just a year 3) a new Hebrew U plan to require all students to pass a course in “entrepreneurship & innovation”fullThe “Yesterday and Today” EditionThe “Yesterday and Today” EditionThu, 13 Sep 2018 16:08:25 +0000In an inspiring demonstration of environmental consciousness, this week the Promised Podcast mixes new discussions with gently repurposed discussions from our archives, producing an episode with the vintage grace of a fine wine and the bracing freshness of just-squeezed orange juice.

The G Word

A while back, in honor of the High Holidays, Haaretz polled all 120 Members of the Knesset, asking each of them whether or not they believe in God, and found, as one journalist later put it, mostly sycophancy and cowardice. But do we want and need to know whether or not our politicians believe in god, and what can we learn from the answers they gave us when asked if they did?

You Can’t Go Home Again

The brilliant novelist, non-fiction impresario Ayelet Waldman returns to Israel (where she was born, and where she once considered spending her life) after many years away, and this inspires each of us to try to see the country afresh through her eyes, and ask how have things changed as we have been raising families, pursuing careers and made our different ways in the world.

For the Sins

As every year on Yom Kippur, Jews chant the “Al Heyt” prayer, for me one of the most affecting and beautiful of all that days very affecting and meaningful prayers. It is a list of sins that we have committed over the previous year, categorized in various ways, together mapping a rich ontology of iniquity. We search our souls and ask ourselves what our greatest political sins have been over the past year, on the Left, maybe in the country, maybe as individuals.

Music

Shuli Rand, off his brand-new record, Ratzoh va-Shov.

HaHaklaim

Avadim

Etz va-Pri (beginning at 00:00:34)

Da’ B’ni Ahuvi

]]>In an inspiring demonstration of environmental consciousness, this week the Promised Podcast mixes new discussions with gently repurposed discussions from our archives, producing an episode with the vintage grace of a fine wine and the bracing freshness of just-squeezed orange juice.

The G Word

A while back, in honor of the High Holidays, Haaretz polled all 120 Members of the Knesset, asking each of them whether or not they believe in God, and found, as one journalist later put it, mostly sycophancy and cowardice. But do we want and need to know whether or not our politicians believe in god, and what can we learn from the answers they gave us when asked if they did?

You Can’t Go Home Again

The brilliant novelist, non-fiction impresario Ayelet Waldman returns to Israel (where she was born, and where she once considered spending her life) after many years away, and this inspires each of us to try to see the country afresh through her eyes, and ask how have things changed as we have been raising families, pursuing careers and made our different ways in the world.

For the Sins

As every year on Yom Kippur, Jews chant the “Al Heyt” prayer, for me one of the most affecting and beautiful of all that days very affecting and meaningful prayers. It is a list of sins that we have committed over the previous year, categorized in various ways, together mapping a rich ontology of iniquity. We search our souls and ask ourselves what our greatest political sins have been over the past year, on the Left, maybe in the country, maybe as individuals.

Music

Shuli Rand, off his brand-new record, Ratzoh va-Shov.

HaHaklaim

Avadim

Etz va-Pri (beginning at 00:00:34)

Da’ B’ni Ahuvi

]]>01:06:43noWe discuss 1) a survey of the religiosity of Knesset members 2) what’s changed in Israel over the past decades, and 3) for Yom Kippur, what have been our greatest political sins of the past year.fullThe “Another Year” EditionThe “Another Year” EditionThu, 06 Sep 2018 14:55:40 +0000Don Futterman, Noah Efron, and roving freelance journalist Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Send These, the Homeless, Tempest-Tost, the Bill!

Trump says to the UN that America won’t pay anymore for food, medicine, schools or homes for Palestinian refugees. PM Netanyahu says, yahoo, but most every other Israeli responds with quiet anxiety.

Home is Where the Homework Is

The number of homeschooled Israeli kids increases 1,150% in ten years. What the hell is going on?

5778

As a new year begins, we ask, What were the most important people and events of the tired, waning year limping to a close?

Extra Segment: What Can American Rabbis Say About Israel This Rosh Hashanah

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss an intriguing essay in Haaretz called, “What on Earth Can American Rabbis Say about Israel this Rosh Hashana?”, by the singular Rav. Eric Yoffie , onetime President of the Union for Reform Judaism in America. With him we wonder, well, what on earth can a rabbi tell his flock about this stiff-necked people in this beautiful and troubled land?

Music

Galatz Songs of the year, 5774-5777 (As we impatiently await the song of the year for 5778!)

5774: Shlomi Shaban and Chava Alberstein - Targil be-Hit’orrerut

5775: Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy

5776: Hanan Ben Ari - Tutim

5777: Nechi Nech - Kol ha-Zman ha-Zeh

]]>Don Futterman, Noah Efron, and roving freelance journalist Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Send These, the Homeless, Tempest-Tost, the Bill!

Trump says to the UN that America won’t pay anymore for food, medicine, schools or homes for Palestinian refugees. PM Netanyahu says, yahoo, but most every other Israeli responds with quiet anxiety.

Home is Where the Homework Is

The number of homeschooled Israeli kids increases 1,150% in ten years. What the hell is going on?

5778

As a new year begins, we ask, What were the most important people and events of the tired, waning year limping to a close?

Extra Segment: What Can American Rabbis Say About Israel This Rosh Hashanah

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss an intriguing essay in Haaretz called, “What on Earth Can American Rabbis Say about Israel this Rosh Hashana?”, by the singular Rav. Eric Yoffie , onetime President of the Union for Reform Judaism in America. With him we wonder, well, what on earth can a rabbi tell his flock about this stiff-necked people in this beautiful and troubled land?

Music

Galatz Songs of the year, 5774-5777 (As we impatiently await the song of the year for 5778!)

5774: Shlomi Shaban and Chava Alberstein - Targil be-Hit’orrerut

5775: Nadav Guedj - Golden Boy

5776: Hanan Ben Ari - Tutim

5777: Nechi Nech - Kol ha-Zman ha-Zeh

]]>01:15:13noWe discuss 1) the Trump administration’s decision to no longer fund UNRWA 2) a shocking 1,150% growth in homeschooling over the past decade 3) the most monumental events and noteworthy people and events of the past year.fullThe “Symbolic Justice” EditionThe “Symbolic Justice” EditionThu, 30 Aug 2018 14:25:52 +0000Don Futterman, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Just the Vax

Should it be illegal for kids in Israel to go to school, if they haven’t gotten their vaccines?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss an intriguing essay in Haaretz arguing that we’re all thinking all wrong about Prime Minister Netanyahu’s opulent ways while travelling. Should give the guy a break when he orders the best wine to his room to wind down after a long day of diplomacizing?

Music

Mayonesa, off their debut album, Everything, that came out just this week.

Beer

Had I Walked

Home, Again

Suddenly Something

]]>Don Futterman, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Just the Vax

Should it be illegal for kids in Israel to go to school, if they haven’t gotten their vaccines?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss an intriguing essay in Haaretz arguing that we’re all thinking all wrong about Prime Minister Netanyahu’s opulent ways while travelling. Should give the guy a break when he orders the best wine to his room to wind down after a long day of diplomacizing?

Music

Mayonesa, off their debut album, Everything, that came out just this week.

Beer

Had I Walked

Home, Again

Suddenly Something

]]>01:07:54noWe discuss 1) a proposed law that would make it illegal for unvaccinated kids to go to school 2) a study finding that the internet expands many of our traditional social divisions 3) the decisions of the President to pardon 70 convicts in honor of Israel’s 70th yearfullThe “Cautionary Conversations” EditionThe “Cautionary Conversations” EditionThu, 23 Aug 2018 16:08:49 +0000Chair of Tel Aviv University’s Dept. of Public Policy Alon Tal, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Avoidably Detained

The Shabak holds up journalist Peter Beinart at Ben Gurion Airport for a “cautionary conversation” about the perils of anti-Occupation activism. Are we sliding swiftly down a slippery slope?

Unsettled

Haaretz says all we need to do to implement a Two-State solution is to resettle 9,800 Jewish families. Have we overestimated how much Settlements are a barrier to peace?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss a recent bit of dada political prankerism by political activist Boaz Cohen, who published on social media the private phone numbers of all 120 members of Knesset, creating for MKs days of havoc, trolling, pranks, and perhaps too-direct-democracy. Did Cohen cross a line, we’ll ask, or is this 21st century Abbie-Hoffmanism just the sort of shaking up that our politicians need?

Music

Ori Mark, ‘cause this is journalism!

Wolfgang

Sigalit Landau

Adom (live, with Iggy Waxman)

Henei Mutalot Gufoteinu

]]>Chair of Tel Aviv University’s Dept. of Public Policy Alon Tal, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Avoidably Detained

The Shabak holds up journalist Peter Beinart at Ben Gurion Airport for a “cautionary conversation” about the perils of anti-Occupation activism. Are we sliding swiftly down a slippery slope?

Unsettled

Haaretz says all we need to do to implement a Two-State solution is to resettle 9,800 Jewish families. Have we overestimated how much Settlements are a barrier to peace?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss a recent bit of dada political prankerism by political activist Boaz Cohen, who published on social media the private phone numbers of all 120 members of Knesset, creating for MKs days of havoc, trolling, pranks, and perhaps too-direct-democracy. Did Cohen cross a line, we’ll ask, or is this 21st century Abbie-Hoffmanism just the sort of shaking up that our politicians need?

Music

Ori Mark, ‘cause this is journalism!

Wolfgang

Sigalit Landau

Adom (live, with Iggy Waxman)

Henei Mutalot Gufoteinu

]]>01:11:30noWe discuss 1) the delaying of anti-Occupation activists at the airport for “cautionary conversations” 2) an article arguing that all it would take to implement a Two-State Solution is resettling 9,800 settler families 3) whether there's a decline in enthusiasm for Green Parties.fullWhyWhyWhy! “Sweat”WhyWhyWhy! “Sweat”Fri, 17 Aug 2018 15:59:24 +0000This episode of WhyWhyWhy! features true stories on the theme of “Sweat” as told by Anna Levine, Ephraim Rinsky, Susan Warchaizer, Libby Weiss, Mira Fox, and Israeli basketball legend Tal Brody.

The next live WhyWhyWhy! storytelling event will be held Sept. 3rd (details) and will feature the theme, “Good Deeds, Bad Deeds.”

Pitch us your story or just come have a beer and listen. Either way, you have nothing to lose but your chains! Well, also your sobriety, as the evening is free, with a one drink minimum.

]]>45:44noThis episode of WhyWhyWhy! features true stories on the theme of “Sweat” as told by Anna Levine, Ephraim Rinsky, Susan Warchaizer, Libby Weiss, Mira Fox, and Israeli basketball legend Tal Brody.bonusThe “International” EditionThe “International” EditionThu, 16 Aug 2018 13:00:00 +0000Twenty years ago, a week after Israel celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, a 26 year-old former drag-queen and trans woman won the world’s biggest song contest, The Eurovision. She also forever changed the way we Israelis see ourselves.

In this very special edition of The Promised Podcast, Noah tells her story, and explains why he thinks that in this moment of anxiety and dreadful Nation-State laws, Dana International represents the humane and decent Zionism so many of us long for.

]]>Twenty years ago, a week after Israel celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, a 26 year-old former drag-queen and trans woman won the world’s biggest song contest, The Eurovision. She also forever changed the way we Israelis see ourselves.

In this very special edition of The Promised Podcast, Noah tells her story, and explains why he thinks that in this moment of anxiety and dreadful Nation-State laws, Dana International represents the humane and decent Zionism so many of us long for.

]]>32:21noTwenty years ago, a week after Israel celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, a 26 year-old former drag-queen and trans woman won the world’s biggest song contest, The Eurovision. She also forever changed the way we Israelis see ourselves. In this very special edition, Noah tells her story, and explains why he thinks that in this moment of anxiety and dreadful Nation-State laws, Dana International represents the humane and decent Zionism so many of us long for.fullThe “Big, Beautiful Wall” EditionThe “Big, Beautiful Wall” EditionThu, 09 Aug 2018 15:12:27 +0000Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A Big, Beautiful Wall?

In building a massive 10 meter high wall all along the northern border with Lebanon and Syria, are we surrounding ourselves with ghetto walls of our own devising?

Primum Non Nocere

Nurses strike to keep from being punched, slapped and stabbed. How did our hospital wards and clinics become so damn violent?

Living Small

Co-housing takes off in Israel, launching an age of what some call “Kibbutz 2.0.” Is this the result of an admirable embrace of communal values, or because young folks here are being crushed by the levers of capitalism?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss, with ambivalence, a challenging Times of Israel essay by writer Yossi Klein Halevi called, “Letter to My Palestinian-Israeli Neighbors,” exploring what, if anything, is the thread linking Palestinian and Jewish Israelis.

Music

Arutz Hakibud

Or Barvaz (עור ברווז)

Kacha zeh Etzleinu (ככה זה אצלנו)

Muzarnik (מוזרניק)

Tania (טניה)

]]>Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A Big, Beautiful Wall?

In building a massive 10 meter high wall all along the northern border with Lebanon and Syria, are we surrounding ourselves with ghetto walls of our own devising?

Primum Non Nocere

Nurses strike to keep from being punched, slapped and stabbed. How did our hospital wards and clinics become so damn violent?

Living Small

Co-housing takes off in Israel, launching an age of what some call “Kibbutz 2.0.” Is this the result of an admirable embrace of communal values, or because young folks here are being crushed by the levers of capitalism?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss, with ambivalence, a challenging Times of Israel essay by writer Yossi Klein Halevi called, “Letter to My Palestinian-Israeli Neighbors,” exploring what, if anything, is the thread linking Palestinian and Jewish Israelis.

Music

Arutz Hakibud

Or Barvaz (עור ברווז)

Kacha zeh Etzleinu (ככה זה אצלנו)

Muzarnik (מוזרניק)

Tania (טניה)

]]>01:10:36noWe discuss 1) the concrete wall being built along Israel’s northern border, to separate us from those who might want to do us harm 2) why our wards and clinics are so rife with violence, as nurses around the country went on strike, and 3) the swift rise of co-housing, which some people call “Kibbutz 2.0.”fullThe “Blood, Sweat & Milk” EditionThe “Blood, Sweat & Milk” EditionThu, 02 Aug 2018 15:11:56 +0000Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we ask if the anti-LGBTQ letter signed by 200 rabbis is a sign of confident strength or scared-sh*tless weakness?

Music

Sharif & Friends

Sharif, Itzik Krief, and Maor Ben Simon - Abba Mechapes Otkha

Sharif and Dudu Aharon - HaKol Koreh be Tel Aviv

Sharif & Zahava Ben - Le-Ehov

Sharif and Eti Levi - Gever B’li Milah

]]>Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we ask if the anti-LGBTQ letter signed by 200 rabbis is a sign of confident strength or scared-sh*tless weakness?

Music

Sharif & Friends

Sharif, Itzik Krief, and Maor Ben Simon - Abba Mechapes Otkha

Sharif and Dudu Aharon - HaKol Koreh be Tel Aviv

Sharif & Zahava Ben - Le-Ehov

Sharif and Eti Levi - Gever B’li Milah

]]>01:10:16noWe discuss 1) the outpouring of empathy for Druze anguish and insult over the Nation-State law 2) a new movie about the heroic birth of the Sephardi Ultra-Orthodox party Shas, and 3) the enraged response of some women to a program to promote breastfeeding.fullThe “The Revolution Will Be Corporatized” EditionThe “The Revolution Will Be Corporatized” EditionThu, 26 Jul 2018 15:06:11 +0000Don Futterman, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Polls show that Likud voters are socialist, gay and lesbian supporting, religious pluralists, who are far to the left of their leaders on most matters: How can this be?

B2LGBTQ

Hundreds of Israeli corporations rush to support LGBTQ activists after the Knesset fails to extend to gay men the right to use surrogates to bear children. Business usually avoid politics like the plague: why is this issue different?

Street Smarts

Experts find that Dizengoff is the best street in Israel. But what makes a street great? And why are we so bad at creating hip and happening streets?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss the segment of Sasha Baron Cohen’s new Showtime series, Who Is America, in which he impersonates one Col. Erran Morad, an Israeli lobbying American Republican gun rights activists and congressfolk, to adopt a faux Israeli program called Kinderguardians, aiming to arm kids tots. What the hell sort of image are these American Republicans carry around of Israel, that made Baron Cohen’s ruse seem plausible?

Music

Shalom Gad Vehayahalomim

BeTzorat Mabool

Pesalim

Sof HaMidbar (recorded live in TLV1 Studios)

Sigariah be-Shekel

]]>Don Futterman, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Polls show that Likud voters are socialist, gay and lesbian supporting, religious pluralists, who are far to the left of their leaders on most matters: How can this be?

B2LGBTQ

Hundreds of Israeli corporations rush to support LGBTQ activists after the Knesset fails to extend to gay men the right to use surrogates to bear children. Business usually avoid politics like the plague: why is this issue different?

Street Smarts

Experts find that Dizengoff is the best street in Israel. But what makes a street great? And why are we so bad at creating hip and happening streets?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss the segment of Sasha Baron Cohen’s new Showtime series, Who Is America, in which he impersonates one Col. Erran Morad, an Israeli lobbying American Republican gun rights activists and congressfolk, to adopt a faux Israeli program called Kinderguardians, aiming to arm kids tots. What the hell sort of image are these American Republicans carry around of Israel, that made Baron Cohen’s ruse seem plausible?

Music

Shalom Gad Vehayahalomim

BeTzorat Mabool

Pesalim

Sof HaMidbar (recorded live in TLV1 Studios)

Sigariah be-Shekel

]]>01:09:45noWe discuss 1) surveys that show Likud voters are socialist, gay and lesbian supporting, religious pluralists, who are far to the left of their leaders on most matters 2) the embrace offered the LGBTQ community by hundreds of Israeli corporations, and 3) what makes a great street great, and why can’t we build more?fullThe “It’s Finally Nice & Legal! Israel is a Jewish State!” EditionThe “It’s Finally Nice & Legal! Israel is a Jewish State!” EditionThu, 19 Jul 2018 15:14:34 +0000Don Futterman, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel passes its long embattled “Nation-State” law, declaring that this is definitely, but definitely, a Jewish state. It probably won’t mean much in practice, but it is one helluva symbolic statement. Question is, though, just what is it stating?

Rigged

Two of Israel’s leading environmental NGOs to break ranks with protesting activists, and support the plans of the government and huge energy corporations to build a gas rig just ten kilometers from shore. They say they’re doing what’s best for the environment, but shouldn’t environmental NGOs do what is best for the activists they represent? At the end of the day, who do NGOs answer to?

The Promised Proscenium, or, A Light Unto Netflix

“Start-Up Nation” is soooo 2008. With hits on Broadway, on the silver screen, and on Netflix, Israel of 2018 is a “Stage & Screen Nation.” How the hell did that happen?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss the newest trend on Birthright tours, demonstrably getting off the tourbus near the end of the trip, and FB live-ing yourself as you go visit Palestinians in the occupied territories. We admire the young folks when they take a stand, but why does this protest feel, well, a little entitled and sour?

Music

Yagel Haroush & Shir Yedidot Ensemble

Yedidi Ro’i

Yafah ve-Tamah

Yedid Nefesh

Shaar Petach Dodi

]]>Don Futterman, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel passes its long embattled “Nation-State” law, declaring that this is definitely, but definitely, a Jewish state. It probably won’t mean much in practice, but it is one helluva symbolic statement. Question is, though, just what is it stating?

Rigged

Two of Israel’s leading environmental NGOs to break ranks with protesting activists, and support the plans of the government and huge energy corporations to build a gas rig just ten kilometers from shore. They say they’re doing what’s best for the environment, but shouldn’t environmental NGOs do what is best for the activists they represent? At the end of the day, who do NGOs answer to?

The Promised Proscenium, or, A Light Unto Netflix

“Start-Up Nation” is soooo 2008. With hits on Broadway, on the silver screen, and on Netflix, Israel of 2018 is a “Stage & Screen Nation.” How the hell did that happen?

For our primo Patreon supporters, in our extra-special, special extra segment, we discuss the newest trend on Birthright tours, demonstrably getting off the tourbus near the end of the trip, and FB live-ing yourself as you go visit Palestinians in the occupied territories. We admire the young folks when they take a stand, but why does this protest feel, well, a little entitled and sour?

Music

Yagel Haroush & Shir Yedidot Ensemble

Yedidi Ro’i

Yafah ve-Tamah

Yedid Nefesh

Shaar Petach Dodi

]]>01:11:13noWe discuss 1) the controversial “Nation-State Law,” enacted after 7 years of debate, amendment, and watering down 2) the decision of 2 environmental NGOs to support building a gas rig just 10 km from shore, and 3) with Israeli shows reaching Broadway and our Netflix cue, how did Israel go from being a “Start-Up Nation” to becoming a “Stage and Screen Nation”?fullThe “Don’t Know Much About History” EditionThe “Don’t Know Much About History” EditionThu, 12 Jul 2018 13:21:20 +0000Don Futterman, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Prime Ministers of Israel and Poland issue a joint declaration about WWII, asserting that Poles mostly treated Jews benignly. Historians of the Holocaust express outrage. And, anyway, should Israel’s Prime Minister be signing agreements about what’s true and false in Jewish History?

Seeds of Doubt

A bunch of eager, energetic religious folks want to move together into a down-and-out Tel Aviv neighborhood, volunteer in the schools, open a synagogue, teach adult ed, and organize public celebrations of holidays, all in hopes of making their new neighbors a bit more Jewish. Should they be stopped or saluted?

Muskeljuden No More?

What are sports for, in a Jewish State?

Music

Mira Awad

All I Want (by Joni Mitchell)

Think of Others (Words by Mahmoud Darwish)

We Can Work It Out (with Noa)

Bahlawan

]]>Don Futterman, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Prime Ministers of Israel and Poland issue a joint declaration about WWII, asserting that Poles mostly treated Jews benignly. Historians of the Holocaust express outrage. And, anyway, should Israel’s Prime Minister be signing agreements about what’s true and false in Jewish History?

Seeds of Doubt

A bunch of eager, energetic religious folks want to move together into a down-and-out Tel Aviv neighborhood, volunteer in the schools, open a synagogue, teach adult ed, and organize public celebrations of holidays, all in hopes of making their new neighbors a bit more Jewish. Should they be stopped or saluted?

Muskeljuden No More?

What are sports for, in a Jewish State?

Music

Mira Awad

All I Want (by Joni Mitchell)

Think of Others (Words by Mahmoud Darwish)

We Can Work It Out (with Noa)

Bahlawan

]]>01:09:51noWe discuss 1) the declaration by the PM of Israel and Poland that absolves Poles of responsibility for the murder of Polish Jews during WWII, 2) a group of religious folks setting up shop in a Tel Aviv neighborhood in order to bring the natives some Yiddishkeit, and 3) what are sports good for, in a Jewish State.fullThe “Left=Bereft?” EditionThe “Left=Bereft?” EditionThu, 05 Jul 2018 14:48:01 +0000Gilad Halpern, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Labor Party Head Avi Gabbay pays shadowy consultants to post faux-Facebook pages trashing centrist rival Yair Lapid. Is Gabbay just a politician who is in it to win it, or is he yet another politician who has lost his soul?

Right=Bright, Left=Bereft?

A new poll finds that Israeli right-wingers, who tend to be poorer than the national average, are optimistic about the country’s economic future, while Israeli left-wingers, who tend to be richer than the national average, are pessimistic about the country’s economic future: Was PM Netanyahu right when he said that leftists like us are just sour-pussed nattering nabobs of negativism?

More Notes on Camp (with Continued Apologies to Susan Sontag)

What happened to good old summer camps when kids slept on rocks under stars and sang around campfires? Why have they yielded to space camp, video game camp and veterinary medicine camp?

Music

Tabarnak, in honor of their debut album, Maurice Academi.

Ha-Shir Ha-khi Tov Hu Ba-Olam

Ya Sefel

Acordover

Le-hitraot ya Henunim

]]>Gilad Halpern, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Labor Party Head Avi Gabbay pays shadowy consultants to post faux-Facebook pages trashing centrist rival Yair Lapid. Is Gabbay just a politician who is in it to win it, or is he yet another politician who has lost his soul?

Right=Bright, Left=Bereft?

A new poll finds that Israeli right-wingers, who tend to be poorer than the national average, are optimistic about the country’s economic future, while Israeli left-wingers, who tend to be richer than the national average, are pessimistic about the country’s economic future: Was PM Netanyahu right when he said that leftists like us are just sour-pussed nattering nabobs of negativism?

More Notes on Camp (with Continued Apologies to Susan Sontag)

What happened to good old summer camps when kids slept on rocks under stars and sang around campfires? Why have they yielded to space camp, video game camp and veterinary medicine camp?

Music

Tabarnak, in honor of their debut album, Maurice Academi.

Ha-Shir Ha-khi Tov Hu Ba-Olam

Ya Sefel

Acordover

Le-hitraot ya Henunim

]]>01:13:17noWe discuss 1) the scumbaggery of the Labor Party, paying for FB pages to trash political rival Yair Lapid 2) was Bibi right when he said leftists are just sour-pussed nattering nabobs of negativism?, and 3) why Israel has so many summer camps?fullThe “Put Away for Take Away?” EditionThe “Put Away for Take Away?” EditionThu, 28 Jun 2018 16:07:44 +0000Outgoing International Director of Haaretz Charlotte Halle, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

First Lady Sara Netanyahu is indicted for charging taxpayers $100,000 for fancy take-out (while also charging the taxpayers for a full-time chef). Should the wife of a Prime Minister really stand trial for bilking the public coffers for cardboard cartons of comestibles?

Bougie’s Golem

Former Labor head and present-day chair of the opposition, Yizhak “Bougie” Herzog, is elected to head the venerable, old Jewish Agency. But is the organization better off dead?

The Council for the Preservation of Historic Inefficiency?

Should Israel’s government subsidize such quaint anachronisms as artisanal bread-baking and clothes-making, for the sake of preserving a once-beloved cultural heritage destroyed by the globalization, corporatization and factorization of pretty much everything?

Music

The White Screen, HaMasach HaLavan:

Tembel, Tembel

Rak Ba-Kever

Indianim

Nipagesh ba-Olam ha-Ba

]]>Outgoing International Director of Haaretz Charlotte Halle, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Noah Efron discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

First Lady Sara Netanyahu is indicted for charging taxpayers $100,000 for fancy take-out (while also charging the taxpayers for a full-time chef). Should the wife of a Prime Minister really stand trial for bilking the public coffers for cardboard cartons of comestibles?

Bougie’s Golem

Former Labor head and present-day chair of the opposition, Yizhak “Bougie” Herzog, is elected to head the venerable, old Jewish Agency. But is the organization better off dead?

The Council for the Preservation of Historic Inefficiency?

Should Israel’s government subsidize such quaint anachronisms as artisanal bread-baking and clothes-making, for the sake of preserving a once-beloved cultural heritage destroyed by the globalization, corporatization and factorization of pretty much everything?

The next live event will be held on July 23rd (details) and will feature the theme, “Sweat.” Pitch us stories about your sweaty situations! Or just come to have a beer and listen. Either way, you have nothing to lose but your chains! Well, also your sobriety, as the evening is free, with a one drink minimum.

The next live event will be held on July 23rd (details) and will feature the theme, “Sweat.” Pitch us stories about your sweaty situations! Or just come to have a beer and listen. Either way, you have nothing to lose but your chains! Well, also your sobriety, as the evening is free, with a one drink minimum.

According to reports, PM Netanyahu used the threat of Iran’s nuclearization to build, strengthen and solidify relations with the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, sometimes behind the back of the American. Should we be high-fiving him, or tsk-tsking?

Mothballing The Hope

Tel Aviv University doesn’t play Israel’s national anthem at graduation, out of respect for the feelings of Muslims and Christians. Is this self-abnegation, as some argue, or a brave step towards a more inclusive Israeli future?

Notes on Camp (with Apologies to Susan Sontag)

Should Jewish summer camps teach campers “the Palestinian narrative”?

Music

Miriam Toukan

We Are Young (with SAZ)

A Traveler’s Prayer (Quartetoukan)

I loved you, Haifa (Quartetoukan)

Wolf with Lamb (with Idan Toledano)

]]>Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

According to reports, PM Netanyahu used the threat of Iran’s nuclearization to build, strengthen and solidify relations with the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, sometimes behind the back of the American. Should we be high-fiving him, or tsk-tsking?

Mothballing The Hope

Tel Aviv University doesn’t play Israel’s national anthem at graduation, out of respect for the feelings of Muslims and Christians. Is this self-abnegation, as some argue, or a brave step towards a more inclusive Israeli future?

Notes on Camp (with Apologies to Susan Sontag)

Should Jewish summer camps teach campers “the Palestinian narrative”?

Music

Miriam Toukan

We Are Young (with SAZ)

A Traveler’s Prayer (Quartetoukan)

I loved you, Haifa (Quartetoukan)

Wolf with Lamb (with Idan Toledano)

]]>01:06:24noWe discuss 1) an essay describing how Netanyahu used the threat of Iran’s nuclearization to build and solidify relations with the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, 2) the decision by a university department not to end graduation exercises with Hatikvah, out of concern for Muslim and Christian students, and (3) the scuttled efforts of some leftist American young people to get “the Palestinian narrative” into the Zionist summer camp curriculumfullThe “Terror with a Tail!” EditionThe “Terror with a Tail!” EditionThu, 14 Jun 2018 15:25:04 +0000Outgoing International Director of Haaretz Charlotte Halle, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The flaming kites lofted by Palestinians into Israel have caused tens of millions in damage and left wasted millions of square meters of fields, forests and settlements. But is it right to call them “terror kites”?

Golan Heights?

A new musical features the music of the great Mizrahi pop singer, Eyal Golan, who was accused five years ago of having consensual sex with underaged girls in icky and abusive circumstances. Many protest, but is there racism and hypocrisy in their ostensible, Me-Too-ish feminism?

Advancing the Secular Lifestyle, One City at a Time

Do we need “secular politics” that advance “secular identity” and a “secular agenda” in Israel’s upcoming local elections?

Music

Pinhas Uvanav

Mahol ha-Teiruf

Ani Eshtagea

Shekufah

Ken Zeh Hasar Sikui Akh Beini Le-Vein Atzmi Ha-Kol Mutar

]]>Outgoing International Director of Haaretz Charlotte Halle, Noah Efron, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The flaming kites lofted by Palestinians into Israel have caused tens of millions in damage and left wasted millions of square meters of fields, forests and settlements. But is it right to call them “terror kites”?

Golan Heights?

A new musical features the music of the great Mizrahi pop singer, Eyal Golan, who was accused five years ago of having consensual sex with underaged girls in icky and abusive circumstances. Many protest, but is there racism and hypocrisy in their ostensible, Me-Too-ish feminism?

Advancing the Secular Lifestyle, One City at a Time

Do we need “secular politics” that advance “secular identity” and a “secular agenda” in Israel’s upcoming local elections?

Music

Pinhas Uvanav

Mahol ha-Teiruf

Ani Eshtagea

Shekufah

Ken Zeh Hasar Sikui Akh Beini Le-Vein Atzmi Ha-Kol Mutar

]]>01:08:20noWe discuss 1) whether calling the flaming kites from Gaza “terror kites” distorts and cheapens the word “terror”, 2) the controversy over a musical featuring songs by Eyal Golan, accused of having consensual sex with underaged girls, and 3) whether we need “secular politics” that advance a “secular agenda” in Israel’s upcoming local elections.fullThe “Drawing Lines” EditionThe “Drawing Lines” EditionThu, 07 Jun 2018 14:24:20 +0000Noah Efron, Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, and Ha’aretz columnist Bradley Burston discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A Labor Party stalwart breaks ranks and says that some of the settlements should be annexed to Israel, as a first step to an eventual peace. His colleagues on the left call him nuts, but is he maybe nutty like a fox?

Messi Politics

Football great Lionel Messi and the Argentinian National Team cancel a friendly match against Israel after it was moved from Haifa to Jerusalem. Is this a turning point in Israeli attitudes about BDS?

To the Class of 2018

Michael Chabon tells newly ordained Rabbis to end their fetishist obsession with keeping Jews Jews, and tells Israelis to stop their us-vs.-them exclusionary wall-building. Mightn’t he have a point?

Music

Hadar Maoz

Lali Lavat

Azizam

Halleluyah

Anar Anar

]]>Noah Efron, Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, and Ha’aretz columnist Bradley Burston discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A Labor Party stalwart breaks ranks and says that some of the settlements should be annexed to Israel, as a first step to an eventual peace. His colleagues on the left call him nuts, but is he maybe nutty like a fox?

Messi Politics

Football great Lionel Messi and the Argentinian National Team cancel a friendly match against Israel after it was moved from Haifa to Jerusalem. Is this a turning point in Israeli attitudes about BDS?

To the Class of 2018

Michael Chabon tells newly ordained Rabbis to end their fetishist obsession with keeping Jews Jews, and tells Israelis to stop their us-vs.-them exclusionary wall-building. Mightn’t he have a point?

Music

Hadar Maoz

Lali Lavat

Azizam

Halleluyah

Anar Anar

]]>01:10:58noWe discuss 1) a plan to annex some settlement blocks and freeze building elsewhere in West Bank as a unilateral step towards accommodation with the Palestinians 2) the Argentinian National Football team’s decision not to come play a match against Israel, and 3) Michael Chabon’s commencement address arguing in favor of intermarriage and against Zionism.fullThe “The Sheep Goes Baaah, the Cow Goes Moooo, the Trident Missile Goes Whoosh-Boom!” EditionThe “The Sheep Goes Baaah, the Cow Goes Moooo, the Trident Missile Goes Whoosh-Boom!” EditionThu, 31 May 2018 13:36:47 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Junior Partners in the Jewish People?

Israelis tell pollsters that the opinions of American Jews about what happens here matter, but not too much. What does this say about relations between the two biggest Jewish communities on earth?

Toying with Anti-Semitism

A Dutch parody of Israel’s Eurovision song includes lyrics about how Israelis control the world and love money. What do we do when legitimate criticism of Israel gets all jumbled up with old-fashioned anti-semitism?

Should the folks who sell us our trident missiles and F-35 stealth bombers be allowed to donate to us us the schools that shape our children (like so much plastic explosive)?

Music

Bones Garage

Equals

Seasons Break

Great Rift

The New Religion

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Junior Partners in the Jewish People?

Israelis tell pollsters that the opinions of American Jews about what happens here matter, but not too much. What does this say about relations between the two biggest Jewish communities on earth?

Toying with Anti-Semitism

A Dutch parody of Israel’s Eurovision song includes lyrics about how Israelis control the world and love money. What do we do when legitimate criticism of Israel gets all jumbled up with old-fashioned anti-semitism?

Should the folks who sell us our trident missiles and F-35 stealth bombers be allowed to donate to us us the schools that shape our children (like so much plastic explosive)?

Music

Bones Garage

Equals

Seasons Break

Great Rift

The New Religion

]]>01:10:25noWe discuss 1) a poll finding that Israelis think our gov shouldn’t care what American Jews think we should do, 2) a parody of Israel’s Eurovision-winning song that smells like anti-semitism, and 3) Lockheed-Martin’s philanthropic decision to open high-techy kindergartens in Jerusalem.fullThe “Republikud & Labocrats?” EditionThe “Republikud & Labocrats?” EditionThu, 24 May 2018 15:44:24 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is the promotion of an out, gay IDF officer to the high rank of Major-General a happy sign of integration or a worrying sign of cooptation? Or a little from Column A and a little from Column B?

Music

Erez Nataf, in celebration of his remarkable new album, “From Tunisia to Jerusalem”

Azamer BiShvahin

Ya Ribon Olam

Yigdal

Min HaMeytsar

]]>01:10:46noWe discuss 1) why Israelis favor 2-4 political parties instead of 11 in today’s Knesset, 2) whether we are sorting ourselves according to political beliefs, and 3) why the promotion of a gay IDF officer to Major-General is a cause for concern to some radical LGBTQ activists.fullWhy why why! “Chutzpah”Why why why! “Chutzpah”Tue, 22 May 2018 08:48:07 +0000This episode of Why why why! features stories on the theme of “Chutzpah”as told by Gwen Dreilinger, Mel Lidman, Alon Tal, Chavi Karkowsky, Judy Maltz, and Ibrihim Ahadi.

Next month's event will be held on June 4th (details) and will feature stories on the theme, “Talkin' About a Revolution!”

Pitch us stories about revolutions you've seen, fomented or undergone: personal, political, cultural, sexual, military, musical, sartorial, whatever! Or just come to have a beer and listen. Either way, you have nothing to lose but your chains! Well, also your sobriety, as the evening is free, with a one drink minimum.

Next month's event will be held on June 4th (details) and will feature stories on the theme, “Talkin' About a Revolution!”

Pitch us stories about revolutions you've seen, fomented or undergone: personal, political, cultural, sexual, military, musical, sartorial, whatever! Or just come to have a beer and listen. Either way, you have nothing to lose but your chains! Well, also your sobriety, as the evening is free, with a one drink minimum.

Music by Itamar Haluts

]]>56:45yesThis episode of Why why why! features stories on the theme of “Chutzpah” as told by Gwen Dreilinger, Mel Lidman, Alon Tal, Chavi Karkowsky, Judy Maltz, and Ibrihim Ahadi.fullThe “I'm Not Your Toy (But Nix the Joy)!” EditionThe “I'm Not Your Toy (But Nix the Joy)!” EditionThu, 17 May 2018 14:26:47 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

With a good deal of angst of our own, we ask the questions we often ask in the face of this sort of horrid perplexity: What ought we think? What ought we do?

Tel Aviv is to Jerusalem as Freedom is to Decency?

Jerusalem bans a right-wing billboard for incitement, while the same billboard is plastered all over Tel Aviv. Which should we prefer: Free expression, Tel Aviv style, or decency in the public square, Jerusalem style?

I’m Not Your Toy (Nix the Joy)!

Netta Barzilai wins the friggin’ Eurovision Song Contest, and many leftist Israelis’ reaction is a mirthless, bah-humbug! Does the left have a problem with national pride and just-plain happiness?

Music

All songs from the Jacob’s Ladder Festival, Two Days of Peace, Love & Music!

Itamar Haluts - Alexandra-Clyde

Dov Hammer - Her Love is Like a Rock

Heebie Gee Bees - Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)

Kim in the Sun - Light of God

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

With a good deal of angst of our own, we ask the questions we often ask in the face of this sort of horrid perplexity: What ought we think? What ought we do?

Tel Aviv is to Jerusalem as Freedom is to Decency?

Jerusalem bans a right-wing billboard for incitement, while the same billboard is plastered all over Tel Aviv. Which should we prefer: Free expression, Tel Aviv style, or decency in the public square, Jerusalem style?

I’m Not Your Toy (Nix the Joy)!

Netta Barzilai wins the friggin’ Eurovision Song Contest, and many leftist Israelis’ reaction is a mirthless, bah-humbug! Does the left have a problem with national pride and just-plain happiness?

Music

All songs from the Jacob’s Ladder Festival, Two Days of Peace, Love & Music!

Itamar Haluts - Alexandra-Clyde

Dov Hammer - Her Love is Like a Rock

Heebie Gee Bees - Come On (Let the Good Times Roll)

Kim in the Sun - Light of God

]]>01:10:00noWe discuss (1) the clashes at the Gaza Border, in which IDF soldiers killed 61 Palestinians, while the new American Embassy was being dedicated in Jerusalem, (2) Jerusalem's decision to ban a right-wing billboard for incitement, even as Tel Aviv-Jaffa allowed the billboards to dapple the city, and (3) why so many leftists responded to Netta Barzilai’s Eurovision song contest victory with mirthless bah-humbug-itude.fullThe “Age of Uncertainty” EditionThe “Age of Uncertainty” EditionThu, 10 May 2018 14:50:31 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

What thoughts, fears, hopes, worries and other reactions does Trump’s decision (and the escalation in the North) raise in us, people who are watching with worry as they open and prepare bomb-shelters up north, who very much hope never to be incinerated along with their dogs, cats and children, and who have kids in the infantry?

The Long Arm of Israeli (Rabbinic) Law

Is the “Rabbinic Courts Bill (Marriage and Divorce)” as risible as its critics make it seem? After all, it is meant to ameliorate the terrible suffering of thousands of women. If it can do that, doesn’t it perhaps justify a little expansion of Israeli Rabbinic authority? What’s a little international Rabbinic hegemony among Jews?

Boots on the Ground

What do we think about ‘tiyul’ culture? Does it partakes of, and advance, a politics that is not our own? What is to be done with the tiyul?

Music Blue Pill

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

What thoughts, fears, hopes, worries and other reactions does Trump’s decision (and the escalation in the North) raise in us, people who are watching with worry as they open and prepare bomb-shelters up north, who very much hope never to be incinerated along with their dogs, cats and children, and who have kids in the infantry?

The Long Arm of Israeli (Rabbinic) Law

Is the “Rabbinic Courts Bill (Marriage and Divorce)” as risible as its critics make it seem? After all, it is meant to ameliorate the terrible suffering of thousands of women. If it can do that, doesn’t it perhaps justify a little expansion of Israeli Rabbinic authority? What’s a little international Rabbinic hegemony among Jews?

Boots on the Ground

What do we think about ‘tiyul’ culture? Does it partakes of, and advance, a politics that is not our own? What is to be done with the tiyul?

Music Blue Pill

]]>01:08:14noWe discuss (1) our thoughts, fears, hopes, and worries that stem from the US leaving the nuclear deal and the military escalation in Northern Israel, (2) whether the Rabbinic Courts Bill is as risible as critics make it seem, despite its goal of ameliorating the suffering of thousands of women, and (3) our take on ‘tiyul’ culture.fullThe “Israel First!” EditionThe “Israel First!” EditionThu, 03 May 2018 15:13:30 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is the most important unseen force in Israeli politics the great divide between those who think that Israelis have it in our power to bring peace, and those fatalists who think, in the end, it just ain’t up to us?

Israel First!

Three leading industrialists say the way to make Israel great again is to put “Israel First,” and flip the bird to economic globalism. Are they right?

Darwin on the Down Low

The Jerusalem Museum of Natural History cover up exhibits on evolution when ultra-Orthodox kids come to visit: Respectful pluralism or despicable cravenness?

Music

Ella Ronen

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is the most important unseen force in Israeli politics the great divide between those who think that Israelis have it in our power to bring peace, and those fatalists who think, in the end, it just ain’t up to us?

Israel First!

Three leading industrialists say the way to make Israel great again is to put “Israel First,” and flip the bird to economic globalism. Are they right?

Darwin on the Down Low

The Jerusalem Museum of Natural History cover up exhibits on evolution when ultra-Orthodox kids come to visit: Respectful pluralism or despicable cravenness?

Music

Ella Ronen

]]>01:08:09noWe discuss (1) the great divide between those who think that Israelis have it in our power to bring peace and those fatalists who think, in the end, it just ain’t up to us, (2) the assertion of three leading industrialists that it’s time to put “Israel First,” and (3) the controversial decision of a museum to cover up the evolution exhibits when Ultra-Orthodox kids come to visit.fullThe “What About Natalie?” EditionThe “What About Natalie?” EditionThu, 26 Apr 2018 15:49:09 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Pfeffer’s Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s Israel

Sparks fly when Haaretz correspondent Anshel Pfeffer joins us to discuss his new book, “Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu”.

Ben Gurion and the Matrix

Should Israel’s old Labor elite be lionized nostalgically or instead consigned to the dustbin of history?

What About Natalie?

Oh, Natalie!

Music

Pele Ozen, in honor of their new single, Hilchot Ger, the profits of which all go to the fight against the deportation of the African Refugees

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Pfeffer’s Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s Israel

Sparks fly when Haaretz correspondent Anshel Pfeffer joins us to discuss his new book, “Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu”.

Ben Gurion and the Matrix

Should Israel’s old Labor elite be lionized nostalgically or instead consigned to the dustbin of history?

What About Natalie?

Oh, Natalie!

Music

Pele Ozen, in honor of their new single, Hilchot Ger, the profits of which all go to the fight against the deportation of the African Refugees

]]>01:14:55noWe are (1) joined by Haaretz reporter and author of the forthcoming “Bibi: The Turbulent Life and Times of Benjamin Netanyahu” to discuss the book’s thesis that PM Netanyahu molded the country in his own fearful and resentful image, (2) ponder the legacy of the old Labor elite that Netanyahu and his Likud replaced, and (3) worry about L’Affaire de Portman.fullThe “Seventy Short Reasons” EditionThe “Seventy Short Reasons” EditionWed, 18 Apr 2018 16:49:31 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Conscript Kids

Does our wont to see all IDF soldiers as our kids, the safety of each and every one of whom is irreducibly and axiomatically important to us, prevent us from thinking morally, or even strategically, about the army?

Self-Portrait

A Ukrainian immigrant portrays the trauma of her absorption into Israeli culture, especially at the hand of Mizrahi men, in a new controversial exhibit at the Israel Museum. Is there something racist about this heartbreaking display?

Seventy Short Reasons

On the occasion of Israel's 70th anniversary, a round-robin of the top 70 reasons we love this place!

DJ Gal Malka and various and sundry from the Army Troupes, “Ayn Lach Ma- Lidog,”

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Conscript Kids

Does our wont to see all IDF soldiers as our kids, the safety of each and every one of whom is irreducibly and axiomatically important to us, prevent us from thinking morally, or even strategically, about the army?

Self-Portrait

A Ukrainian immigrant portrays the trauma of her absorption into Israeli culture, especially at the hand of Mizrahi men, in a new controversial exhibit at the Israel Museum. Is there something racist about this heartbreaking display?

Seventy Short Reasons

On the occasion of Israel's 70th anniversary, a round-robin of the top 70 reasons we love this place!

DJ Gal Malka and various and sundry from the Army Troupes, “Ayn Lach Ma- Lidog,”

]]>01:07:58noWe discuss: 1) whether our wont to see all IDF soldiers as our own kids prevents us from thinking morally, or even strategically, about the army, 2) a controversial new exhibit by a Ukrainian immigrant which portrays the trauma of her absorption into Israeli culture, especially at the hand of Mizrahi men, and (3) On the occasion of our 70th anniversary, a round-robin of the top 70 reasons we love this place!fullThe “Guns, Jews and Steel” EditionThe “Guns, Jews and Steel” EditionThu, 12 Apr 2018 15:36:40 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is Gaza’s “Great March of Return” a non-violent protest, or a dangerous attempt to breach Israel’s border? Are IDF sharpshooters defending Israel’s sovereignty or wounding and killing unarmed protesters, or both?

Bring Your Seat to an Upright Position

When a flight attendant asks if you wouldn’t mind swapping seats with an ultra-Orthodox Jew, should you (a) kindly agree in the name of civility or (b) righteously refuse in the name of freedom and equality?

Edifice Complex

Israel’s Housing Minister proposes filling Israel’s skyline with huge stainless steel Stars of David, to offset the many minarets, steeples and spires that dot the horizon today. Why do we care whether ours is bigger than theirs?

Music: Yael Badash

Oneg Shabbat

Gvarim, Gvarim

Ma Yesh Bah she-Eyn Bi

Be-Halomi

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is Gaza’s “Great March of Return” a non-violent protest, or a dangerous attempt to breach Israel’s border? Are IDF sharpshooters defending Israel’s sovereignty or wounding and killing unarmed protesters, or both?

Bring Your Seat to an Upright Position

When a flight attendant asks if you wouldn’t mind swapping seats with an ultra-Orthodox Jew, should you (a) kindly agree in the name of civility or (b) righteously refuse in the name of freedom and equality?

Edifice Complex

Israel’s Housing Minister proposes filling Israel’s skyline with huge stainless steel Stars of David, to offset the many minarets, steeples and spires that dot the horizon today. Why do we care whether ours is bigger than theirs?

Music: Yael Badash

Oneg Shabbat

Gvarim, Gvarim

Ma Yesh Bah she-Eyn Bi

Be-Halomi

]]>01:09:14noWe discuss 1) Israel’s deadly response to the “Great March of Return,” 2) an ad campaign seeking to persuade folks not to swap seats on flights to accommodate ultra-Orthodox passengers who refuse to sit near people of another gender, and 3) a proposal by the Minister of Housing to erect huge steel Stars of David across the landscape to show those Christians and Muslims that ours are bigger than theirs.
The extra segment for Patrons is available here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/will-he-speak-181fullWhy, Why, Why! “Crossing the Red Sea”Why, Why, Why! “Crossing the Red Sea”Thu, 05 Apr 2018 15:00:00 +0000Our debut episode of Why, Why, Why! features stories on the theme of “Crossing the Red Sea” told by Abe Silver, Jodi Davidovitch, Yaser Abu Areesha, Nancy Cahners, and Guy Sharett.

About “Why, Why, Why!”

An evening (and a podcast) of people sharing a true story for an audience while sipping a beer and pondering life in the holy land.

Why “Why, Why, Why!”?

There is a great gulf between the way people discuss Israel, and the way we live our lives here. Lots of talk about Israel happens in high dudgeon and low spirits: with anger, resentment, disappointment, frustration, irritation, grievance and worry.

For all that, life here is different and brighter. The rhythms of the sidewalks and supermarkets are weird. People are curious. Hebrew carves up the world in surprising ways. Boundaries turn out to be permeable. And everyone is always talking, advising, counselling, dissenting and suggesting.

What can bridge the gulf between the severe way Israel appears in the papers and the loopy way we experience it on the street are stories: true stories of our lives the way we lead them, with their moments of weird abasements, moments of grace and moments of transcendence.

Why Why Why! aims to capture some of these stories and share them live and on the podcast.

An evening (and a podcast) of people sharing a true story for an audience while sipping a beer and pondering life in the holy land.

Why “Why, Why, Why!”?

There is a great gulf between the way people discuss Israel, and the way we live our lives here. Lots of talk about Israel happens in high dudgeon and low spirits: with anger, resentment, disappointment, frustration, irritation, grievance and worry.

For all that, life here is different and brighter. The rhythms of the sidewalks and supermarkets are weird. People are curious. Hebrew carves up the world in surprising ways. Boundaries turn out to be permeable. And everyone is always talking, advising, counselling, dissenting and suggesting.

What can bridge the gulf between the severe way Israel appears in the papers and the loopy way we experience it on the street are stories: true stories of our lives the way we lead them, with their moments of weird abasements, moments of grace and moments of transcendence.

Why Why Why! aims to capture some of these stories and share them live and on the podcast.

]]>31:47noWhy, Why, Why! is an evening (and a podcast) of people sharing a true story for an audience while sipping a beer and pondering life in the holy land.
Our debut episode features stories on the theme of “Crossing the Red Sea” told by Abe Silver, Jodi Davidovitch, Yaser Abu Areesha, Nancy Cahners, and Guy Sharett.fullThe “Still Leaving Egypt, After All These Years” EditionThe “Still Leaving Egypt, After All These Years” EditionThu, 29 Mar 2018 14:49:50 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

How and why do so very many people (if polls are to be believed) still love Netanyahu with a force that seems to be growing with each revelation of possible corruption?

Low Marx

Is moving from a public “higher higher education” system to a mixed public-private system is a step forward, a step back, or one of those other fancy dance steps that turn you around and leave you breathless?

Still Leaving Egypt, After All These Years

What lessons should we, today, in Israel of 2018, take from the story of the Exodus and the 40 years that followed?

Music: Aya Korem

Mehandeset Mahshevim

Rona Omeret

Yonatan Shapira

Davar Aharon

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

How and why do so very many people (if polls are to be believed) still love Netanyahu with a force that seems to be growing with each revelation of possible corruption?

Low Marx

Is moving from a public “higher higher education” system to a mixed public-private system is a step forward, a step back, or one of those other fancy dance steps that turn you around and leave you breathless?

Still Leaving Egypt, After All These Years

What lessons should we, today, in Israel of 2018, take from the story of the Exodus and the 40 years that followed?

Music: Aya Korem

Mehandeset Mahshevim

Rona Omeret

Yonatan Shapira

Davar Aharon

]]>01:07:59noWe discuss: 1) why each new revelation about Bibi's alleged corruption is accompanied by an increase in support for him, 2) the accreditation of a private university to grant Ph.D. degrees, and 3) whether the story of the Exodus hardens or softens our hearts, now that we are in a strong and secure state.
Looking for this week's extra segment? It's available on www.patreon.com/promisedpodcastfullThe “Who Surveils the Surveillors?” EditionThu, 22 Mar 2018 15:39:32 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel’s got a machine-learning AI system for identifying lone terrorists before they act. Should this bit of real-scifi-Minority Report-ism make it easier for us to sleep at night, or cause us to toss-and-turn in Orwellian angst?

Surveilling Rabbis

An activist spends long hours going over videos of rabbinic lectures, getting the sexist and homophobic bits on the nightly news. Is this smart progressive politics, or kind of creepy stalking?

Surveilling Prices

Israel’s Chamber of Commerce says the time has come to repeal a law mandating little sticky price-tags on every item in the supermarket, in favor of smart screens, q-codes and surge pricing in the freezer aisle. Is this the voice of progress, or of rapacious capitalists who want to squeeze a little more cash from consumers?

Music: The Amazing Persian-Georgian Groove of Hadar Maoz!

Lali Lavat

Azizam

Hadar Maoz Esh Avotay

Labhoi Turo Blues

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel’s got a machine-learning AI system for identifying lone terrorists before they act. Should this bit of real-scifi-Minority Report-ism make it easier for us to sleep at night, or cause us to toss-and-turn in Orwellian angst?

Surveilling Rabbis

An activist spends long hours going over videos of rabbinic lectures, getting the sexist and homophobic bits on the nightly news. Is this smart progressive politics, or kind of creepy stalking?

Surveilling Prices

Israel’s Chamber of Commerce says the time has come to repeal a law mandating little sticky price-tags on every item in the supermarket, in favor of smart screens, q-codes and surge pricing in the freezer aisle. Is this the voice of progress, or of rapacious capitalists who want to squeeze a little more cash from consumers?

Music: The Amazing Persian-Georgian Groove of Hadar Maoz!

Lali Lavat

Azizam

Hadar Maoz Esh Avotay

Labhoi Turo Blues

]]>01:06:36nofullThe “Judaism: The Theme Park” EditionThe “Judaism: The Theme Park” EditionThu, 15 Mar 2018 14:46:36 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Bradley Burston discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israeli politicians and military brass have begun sounding the alarm about the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where electricity is available for four to eight hours a day and where municipal services are being cut in half. While the military threat form Gaza appears containable, it is less clear that Israel can contain the ramifications of a total humanitarian collapse in Gaza. How can and should Israel act to forestall or prevent the humanitarian crisis that is about to swallow Gaza whole?

Show Me a Hero (and I’ll Write You a Tragedy)

Mizrahi journalists and activists, are calling for the name of journalist Aryeh Gelblum name to be stripped from a cul-de-sac, which was named after him after his death in 1991. That's because wrote that immigrants from Arab and North African lands possessed a "superlative primitiveness." Should Israel purge the names of those who described Mizrahi Jews as ignorant from the public sphere?

Judaism: The Theme Park

A massive new project is being planned for the relatively remote Israeli city of Dimona: the "Park of Wonders", a theme park based on Judaism. “The park will have the same rides and the same layout [as Disney World] but with content,” the project's CEO says. What, if anything, does it say about the place of Judaism in Israel, in Zionism, in the hearts and minds of Jews, in the 21st century?

Music: Omer Adam, in honor of this week selling out his May 24 concert Sami Ofer Stadium in Haifa, in less than 3 hours (including 40,000 folks signing up for the waiting list):

Israeli politicians and military brass have begun sounding the alarm about the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where electricity is available for four to eight hours a day and where municipal services are being cut in half. While the military threat form Gaza appears containable, it is less clear that Israel can contain the ramifications of a total humanitarian collapse in Gaza. How can and should Israel act to forestall or prevent the humanitarian crisis that is about to swallow Gaza whole?

Show Me a Hero (and I’ll Write You a Tragedy)

Mizrahi journalists and activists, are calling for the name of journalist Aryeh Gelblum name to be stripped from a cul-de-sac, which was named after him after his death in 1991. That's because wrote that immigrants from Arab and North African lands possessed a "superlative primitiveness." Should Israel purge the names of those who described Mizrahi Jews as ignorant from the public sphere?

Judaism: The Theme Park

A massive new project is being planned for the relatively remote Israeli city of Dimona: the "Park of Wonders", a theme park based on Judaism. “The park will have the same rides and the same layout [as Disney World] but with content,” the project's CEO says. What, if anything, does it say about the place of Judaism in Israel, in Zionism, in the hearts and minds of Jews, in the 21st century?

Music: Omer Adam, in honor of this week selling out his May 24 concert Sami Ofer Stadium in Haifa, in less than 3 hours (including 40,000 folks signing up for the waiting list):

]]>01:02:48noWe discuss 1) the horrid humanitarian crisis in Gaza and what to do about it, 2) activists' demands to scrub a street name honoring a journalist who wrote that Sefaradi/Mizrahi immigrants were primitive in nature, and 3) plans for a new theme park dedicated to the wonders of Judaism!fullThe “Broadening Horizons” EditionThe “Broadening Horizons” EditionThu, 08 Mar 2018 15:18:09 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The huge convention of a new and improved AIPAC, now containing progressives!

Wicked-pedia?

Ha-Michlol (“The Entirety”), an ultra-Orthodox, user-generated Wikipedia, aims to create “the largest Jewish encyclopedia in history, which includes articles on all issues pertaining to the Torah, Jewish values and the history of the Jewish people, but also knowledge pertaining to mankind and from all the secular [hulin] fields – written in clean language according to the Jewish worldview.” Is it a step towards a greater appreciation, on the part of Haredim, of western, secular knowledge, or a step away, or both, or neither)?

Worn Only Once, For Drinks at the King David

Two young Israelis have launched MINE, a website that allows folks to sell off their unwanted, unused, nearly-new expensive designer clothes, and allows the hoi polloi to buy them at a discount. They claims to be motivated by a desire to enable middle-class people to buy what they formerly couldn't afford, and to help the environment by discouraging "fast fashion". So should we be forsaking the mall for MINE?

Music: Nili Fink

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The huge convention of a new and improved AIPAC, now containing progressives!

Wicked-pedia?

Ha-Michlol (“The Entirety”), an ultra-Orthodox, user-generated Wikipedia, aims to create “the largest Jewish encyclopedia in history, which includes articles on all issues pertaining to the Torah, Jewish values and the history of the Jewish people, but also knowledge pertaining to mankind and from all the secular [hulin] fields – written in clean language according to the Jewish worldview.” Is it a step towards a greater appreciation, on the part of Haredim, of western, secular knowledge, or a step away, or both, or neither)?

Worn Only Once, For Drinks at the King David

Two young Israelis have launched MINE, a website that allows folks to sell off their unwanted, unused, nearly-new expensive designer clothes, and allows the hoi polloi to buy them at a discount. They claims to be motivated by a desire to enable middle-class people to buy what they formerly couldn't afford, and to help the environment by discouraging "fast fashion". So should we be forsaking the mall for MINE?

Music: Nili Fink

]]>01:05:56noWe discuss 1) the new, improved AIPAC 2.0, now with Progressives!, 2) the new ultra-Orthodox Jewish spin on Wikipedia, and 3) a site offering middle-class Israelis luxury clothes at a discount.
Looking for extra segments and other patron-only perks? They're available to our patrons on www.patreon.com/promisedpodcastfullThe “Assassination, Prevarication & Narration Peroration” EditionThu, 01 Mar 2018 15:53:25 +0000Noah Efron, Charlotte Hallé, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Two thousand and three hundred: That's how many targeted killing operations Israel has carried out over the years, Israeli journalist and author Ronen Bergman estimates in his stunning new book Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations. The book traces the history of a key strategy in the history of Israel's intelligence and security apparatuses, and raises questions about its ethical and practical aspects. When (if ever) are these assassinations justified, and are they even a smart idea?

Legislating Innocence

Poland's explosive "Holocaust complicity bill" may or may not be about to become law. After Israel raised concerns about the proposed penalty for anyone accusing Poland of complicity in Nazi crimes, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's explanation that the Holocaust also had its "Jewish perpetrators" then sparked further outrage. Poles had good reason to be lumped together with Germans as perpetrators of the Holocaust, but Poles also have a lot to answer for. So what is Israel to do?

Won’t Anyone Think of the Tour Guides?

Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin recently proposed a bill that would allow unaccredited tour guides to lead many (though not all) tours. Currently, a prospective guide needs to take a two-year course, a practice resulting in remarkably well-educated guides. But some ask why Israel can't have architects devising their own tours of cities' buildings, for example. Is liberalizing tour guiding another small step for post-modern freedom, or is it one liberalization too far?

Music: Lior Perla, in honor of his newest record, Bein Kotlei ha-

Zeman, released just this week!

Shoom Davar

Bein Kotley HaZman

Halev Hazeh

Ad Hasof

]]>Noah Efron, Charlotte Hallé, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Two thousand and three hundred: That's how many targeted killing operations Israel has carried out over the years, Israeli journalist and author Ronen Bergman estimates in his stunning new book Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel's Targeted Assassinations. The book traces the history of a key strategy in the history of Israel's intelligence and security apparatuses, and raises questions about its ethical and practical aspects. When (if ever) are these assassinations justified, and are they even a smart idea?

Legislating Innocence

Poland's explosive "Holocaust complicity bill" may or may not be about to become law. After Israel raised concerns about the proposed penalty for anyone accusing Poland of complicity in Nazi crimes, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's explanation that the Holocaust also had its "Jewish perpetrators" then sparked further outrage. Poles had good reason to be lumped together with Germans as perpetrators of the Holocaust, but Poles also have a lot to answer for. So what is Israel to do?

Won’t Anyone Think of the Tour Guides?

Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin recently proposed a bill that would allow unaccredited tour guides to lead many (though not all) tours. Currently, a prospective guide needs to take a two-year course, a practice resulting in remarkably well-educated guides. But some ask why Israel can't have architects devising their own tours of cities' buildings, for example. Is liberalizing tour guiding another small step for post-modern freedom, or is it one liberalization too far?

Music: Lior Perla, in honor of his newest record, Bein Kotlei ha-

Zeman, released just this week!

Shoom Davar

Bein Kotley HaZman

Halev Hazeh

Ad Hasof

]]>01:07:46nofullThe “Eyes on the Prize” EditionThu, 22 Feb 2018 15:52:35 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel's liberal-left Meretz party will hold its first-ever primary to pick its next leader in March, and the candidates have brought to the party new energy, excitement, voters, and vision to an entity whose relevance in contemporary Israeli politics is often called into question. The leadership race has developed into a vital debate into how the Left should present itself to voters and pursue change. What can we learn from this fascinating race?

Prize Possession

David Grossman the great Israeli writer who just seven months ago won one of literature’s most prestigious awards, the Man Booker Prize, last week learned that he would, on Israel’s 70th Independence Day, receive his homelands most prestigious award, the Israel Prize. But an essay this weekend in Haaretz by Israel’s leading civil rights lawyer Avigdor Feldman argued is that, in these days, to take the prize is an act of collaboration with a government with which people of principle ought no longer collaborate. Should Grossman, for decades one of the clearest voices of conscience on the Left, turn down the Israel Prize as a powerful and percussive expression of that conscience?

The (Harsh) Reality of Marriage

The most popular new show on Israeli TV is a science-based reality show called “Wedding at First Sight.” The show begins with scientific experts, who designed and administered examination protocols exploring the psycho-social-cognitive and physiological profile of thousands of volunteer singles, scientifically-identifying five heteronormative pairs, if science is to be trusted, are exquisitely compatible with one another. Each of the couples is sent on a luxurious honeymoon, at the end of which they will settle down to live together for 40 days, at the end of which they need to decide whether to continue their lives as married folks or dissolve their union. Does the success of the show, which is so retro, with the role of traditional matchmaker filled by science, reflect a wish for a simpler time when your parents, or your youth movement, pretty much ensured that you’d find a mate?

Music:Sputnik Hi-Fi

Eretz ha-Rakavot (ארץ הרכבות)

Ha-Laila hakhi Tov (הלילה הכי טוב)

Hashmal (חשמל)

Hol (חול)

]]>Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel's liberal-left Meretz party will hold its first-ever primary to pick its next leader in March, and the candidates have brought to the party new energy, excitement, voters, and vision to an entity whose relevance in contemporary Israeli politics is often called into question. The leadership race has developed into a vital debate into how the Left should present itself to voters and pursue change. What can we learn from this fascinating race?

Prize Possession

David Grossman the great Israeli writer who just seven months ago won one of literature’s most prestigious awards, the Man Booker Prize, last week learned that he would, on Israel’s 70th Independence Day, receive his homelands most prestigious award, the Israel Prize. But an essay this weekend in Haaretz by Israel’s leading civil rights lawyer Avigdor Feldman argued is that, in these days, to take the prize is an act of collaboration with a government with which people of principle ought no longer collaborate. Should Grossman, for decades one of the clearest voices of conscience on the Left, turn down the Israel Prize as a powerful and percussive expression of that conscience?

The (Harsh) Reality of Marriage

The most popular new show on Israeli TV is a science-based reality show called “Wedding at First Sight.” The show begins with scientific experts, who designed and administered examination protocols exploring the psycho-social-cognitive and physiological profile of thousands of volunteer singles, scientifically-identifying five heteronormative pairs, if science is to be trusted, are exquisitely compatible with one another. Each of the couples is sent on a luxurious honeymoon, at the end of which they will settle down to live together for 40 days, at the end of which they need to decide whether to continue their lives as married folks or dissolve their union. Does the success of the show, which is so retro, with the role of traditional matchmaker filled by science, reflect a wish for a simpler time when your parents, or your youth movement, pretty much ensured that you’d find a mate?

Music: Sputnik Hi-Fi

Eretz ha-Rakavot (ארץ הרכבות)

Ha-Laila hakhi Tov (הלילה הכי טוב)

Hashmal (חשמל)

Hol (חול)

]]>01:06:13nofullThe "Tragic Flaws" EditionThu, 15 Feb 2018 16:20:55 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel's police have recommended indictments against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying "a sufficient evidentiary foundation has been established" for suspicions of soliciting and accepting bribes, fraud, and breach of trust. Netanyahu's party is standing by its man, while coalition partners are cautiously maintaining support. Opposition leaders are calling for him to resign. Should he? Regardless of personal opinion, what response befits the situation?

The Lie

Yaakov Perry, former head of the Shin Bet secret service, has resigned from his post as a Member of Knesset for the centrist Yesh Atid party, after it was learned that he lied about his military record. Should such a lie disqualify someone from serving in politics today? What is so distressing about learning that he lied about this issue specifically?

Tile and Error

Studio Ceramics, a premier boutique purveyor of high quality wall and floor tiles, is the first company ever sued under a new Israeli law banning "discrimination according to place of residence" after telling a journalist who lives in a settlements that it "does not deliver to the territories." Should Studio Ceramics ought to be forced to deliver their tiles and toilets to the territories, even if doing so is (a) more dangerous, (b) more expensive, and (c) a contravention of their political beliefs?

Israel's police have recommended indictments against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying "a sufficient evidentiary foundation has been established" for suspicions of soliciting and accepting bribes, fraud, and breach of trust. Netanyahu's party is standing by its man, while coalition partners are cautiously maintaining support. Opposition leaders are calling for him to resign. Should he? Regardless of personal opinion, what response befits the situation?

The Lie

Yaakov Perry, former head of the Shin Bet secret service, has resigned from his post as a Member of Knesset for the centrist Yesh Atid party, after it was learned that he lied about his military record. Should such a lie disqualify someone from serving in politics today? What is so distressing about learning that he lied about this issue specifically?

Tile and Error

Studio Ceramics, a premier boutique purveyor of high quality wall and floor tiles, is the first company ever sued under a new Israeli law banning "discrimination according to place of residence" after telling a journalist who lives in a settlements that it "does not deliver to the territories." Should Studio Ceramics ought to be forced to deliver their tiles and toilets to the territories, even if doing so is (a) more dangerous, (b) more expensive, and (c) a contravention of their political beliefs?

]]>01:07:52nofullThe “Federation Delegation Visitation Conversation” EditionThu, 08 Feb 2018 15:00:00 +0000Before a live audience including a delegation from UJA-Federation of New York, the largest local philanthropy in the history of the world, Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Amia Leiblich, professor emerita at the Hebrew University, hasturned her gaze and attention to a group she calls “The New Poor.” “The new poverty,” she writes writes: “is poverty that is unexpected, given the place that those who suffer from it started. The new poor are people who stood on their own two feet, or who were supposed to stand on their own two feet economically, but for some reason the ground withdrew from beneath them.” Who are these folks? Do they represent a social problem and challenge that needs to be addressed on its own terms?

The Promised Podcast Guide to Purse-String Power

American Jews continue to be astonishingly generous in their contributions to Israel, but some voices are calling for them to use their cash as leverage to strong-arm some changes in Israeli attitudes. What ought donors want to change in Israeli society? What is the best way to help bring about this change? Is it a good idea to use philanthropy as a cudgel?

Still and All, Israel

Around Rosh ha-Shannah, Rogel Alpher published a column in Haaretz called “Why I am Leaving the Country” in which he explained that “Israel is not worth the price it extracts from us, that is the truth.” A few years ago, a Facebook page called “Olim Le-Berlin” -- we are moving (or “ascending”) to Berlin -- gained thousands of followers. The hosts of the podcast have their criticisms of Israel, and their worries about the future of the country and, therefore, their own futures. Yet they are here. How do we harmonize between our criticisms of Israel, and our worries, and the fact that we made this place our home by choice and, effectively, we each day make this choice anew?

]]>Before a live audience including a delegation from UJA-Federation of New York, the largest local philanthropy in the history of the world, Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel’s Urban Poorgeoisie Amia Leiblich, professor emerita at the Hebrew University, hasturned her gaze and attention to a group she calls “The New Poor.” “The new poverty,” she writes writes: “is poverty that is unexpected, given the place that those who suffer from it started. The new poor are people who stood on their own two feet, or who were supposed to stand on their own two feet economically, but for some reason the ground withdrew from beneath them.” Who are these folks? Do they represent a social problem and challenge that needs to be addressed on its own terms?

The Promised Podcast Guide to Purse-String Power American Jews continue to be astonishingly generous in their contributions to Israel, but some voices are calling for them to use their cash as leverage to strong-arm some changes in Israeli attitudes. What ought donors want to change in Israeli society? What is the best way to help bring about this change? Is it a good idea to use philanthropy as a cudgel?

Still and All, Israel Around Rosh ha-Shannah, Rogel Alpher published a column in Haaretz called “Why I am Leaving the Country” in which he explained that “Israel is not worth the price it extracts from us, that is the truth.” A few years ago, a Facebook page called “Olim Le-Berlin” -- we are moving (or “ascending”) to Berlin -- gained thousands of followers. The hosts of the podcast have their criticisms of Israel, and their worries about the future of the country and, therefore, their own futures. Yet they are here. How do we harmonize between our criticisms of Israel, and our worries, and the fact that we made this place our home by choice and, effectively, we each day make this choice anew?

]]>01:11:52nofullThe "Democrats, Diplomats & Habitats” EditionThu, 01 Feb 2018 16:03:44 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

In America in the age of Trump and Netanyahu, Israel has seemingly become a partisan issue. According to a new poll of Americans, 74 percent of Republicans sympathize more with Israel than with the Palestinians, while 43 percent of Democrats do. There are various theories about why there is such a partisan gap. Is this partisanization of Israel in America a danger to us and if so why and, most crucial of all, what the hell ought to be done about it?

Putting the “Low” in Diplomat

Numerous mutually conflicting explanations have been offered for why Israel's Diplomatic Corps is disintegrating. Why it has become so difficult to find young people making a career of diplomacy. More important, does the decline of the diplomatic corps really matter in the age of Twitter diplomacy and rapid and direct communications between leaders?

Venting on Rent, Dissent and Discontent

When the country’s leading expert on and advocate of social housing and, especially, affordable rent policy attacks the government’s first serious attempt in more than a generation to legislate an affordable rent policy, you know that on the way to doing something right, someone went desperately wrong. What should be done with the present bill under consideration? What should be done more generally about affordable rent in Israel? What vision of the neighborhoods and cities we want ought to guide us in setting housing policy?

Mind the Gap! In America in the age of Trump and Netanyahu, Israel has seemingly become a partisan issue. According to a new poll of Americans, 74 percent of Republicans sympathize more with Israel than with the Palestinians, while 43 percent of Democrats do. There are various theories about why there is such a partisan gap. Is this partisanization of Israel in America a danger to us and if so why and, most crucial of all, what the hell ought to be done about it?

Putting the “Low” in Diplomat Numerous mutually conflicting explanations have been offered for why Israel's Diplomatic Corps is disintegrating. Why it has become so difficult to find young people making a career of diplomacy. More important, does the decline of the diplomatic corps really matter in the age of Twitter diplomacy and rapid and direct communications between leaders?

Venting on Rent, Dissent and Discontent When the country’s leading expert on and advocate of social housing and, especially, affordable rent policy attacks the government’s first serious attempt in more than a generation to legislate an affordable rent policy, you know that on the way to doing something right, someone went desperately wrong. What should be done with the present bill under consideration? What should be done more generally about affordable rent in Israel? What vision of the neighborhoods and cities we want ought to guide us in setting housing policy?

]]>01:03:44nofullThe "Abbas Unbound" EditionThu, 25 Jan 2018 16:16:42 +0000Noah Efron, Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

In furorem, veritas?, or Abbas Unbound Palestinian Authority President let loose twice last week in long angry speeches, claiming that Israel is the result of Western colonialist machinations and is "unconnected to Jews." What do we learn, if anything, from these remarks? What impact ought they have on how we go forward to see peaceful and secure relations between Israelis and Palestinians?

Speaking frankly As Israel announces a plan to deport most of the (estimated) 42,000 refugees (mostly) from Eritrea, an NGO decides to found the "Anne Frank Home Sanctuary Movement," aiming to persuade Israelis to open their homes to refugees hiding from police. When (if ever) is it right to use Anne Frank (and all she stands for) as a moral exemplar and object lesson in contemporary political debates.

Amazon and the Jewish Question Amid news that retail leviathan Amazon.com may build a "logistics center" in Israel, there were those who responded with fear and worry. Does Amazon's incipient presence in Israel signal the sad destruction of our local economy or the happy enthronement of low, low prices?

In furorem, veritas?, or Abbas Unbound Palestinian Authority President let loose twice last week in long angry speeches, claiming that Israel is the result of Western colonialist machinations and is "unconnected to Jews." What do we learn, if anything, from these remarks? What impact ought they have on how we go forward to see peaceful and secure relations between Israelis and Palestinians?

Speaking frankly As Israel announces a plan to deport most of the (estimated) 42,000 refugees (mostly) from Eritrea, an NGO decides to found the "Anne Frank Home Sanctuary Movement," aiming to persuade Israelis to open their homes to refugees hiding from police. When (if ever) is it right to use Anne Frank (and all she stands for) as a moral exemplar and object lesson in contemporary political debates.

Amazon and the Jewish Question Amid news that retail leviathan Amazon.com may build a "logistics center" in Israel, there were those who responded with fear and worry. Does Amazon's incipient presence in Israel signal the sad destruction of our local economy or the happy enthronement of low, low prices?

]]>01:06:25nofullThe "Selfie in Auschwitz?” EditionThe "Selfie in Auschwitz?” EditionThu, 18 Jan 2018 16:26:58 +0000Noah Efron, Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

In Praise of Progressive Populism Dov Khenin, the sole Jewish lawmaker representing the Joint List, delivers remarks criticizing the Israeli Left's purism and calling for a left-wing populism like the movements that formed around Bernie Sanders in the United States and Jeremy Corbyn in the United Kingdom. Are there signs of an Israeli progressive populism developing? Is this the path the Israeli Left should take right now?

"Selfie in Auschwitz" The latest video to sweep viral through Israel is by a duet who call themselves Reggie & Sig, and is called "The Trip to Poland." Sample lyrics: To take a selfie in Auschwitz is disrespectful/ it's disrespectful/ it's disrespectful/ Selfie in Auschwitz!" What are its creators trying to say?

Decaffeinated to Death? Some of Tel Aviv's most storied coffeehouses are shuttering their doors. Does the demise of once beloved, one-time coffeehouse meeting places of intellectuals and artists signal the end of the intellectual culture and cultural intellect that once thrived in these caffeinated colossuses of creativity? demise of once beloved, one-time coffeehouse meeting places of intellectuals and artists, signals the end of the intellectual culture and cultural intellect that once thrived in these caffeinated colossuses of creativity?

Music: Talisman, in honor of being selected as the breakout act of the year by Galgalatz:

]]>Noah Efron, Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

In Praise of Progressive Populism Dov Khenin, the sole Jewish lawmaker representing the Joint List, delivers remarks criticizing the Israeli Left's purism and calling for a left-wing populism like the movements that formed around Bernie Sanders in the United States and Jeremy Corbyn in the United Kingdom. Are there signs of an Israeli progressive populism developing? Is this the path the Israeli Left should take right now?

"Selfie in Auschwitz" The latest video to sweep viral through Israel is by a duet who call themselves Reggie & Sig, and is called "The Trip to Poland." Sample lyrics: To take a selfie in Auschwitz is disrespectful/ it's disrespectful/ it's disrespectful/ Selfie in Auschwitz!" What are its creators trying to say?

Decaffeinated to Death? Some of Tel Aviv's most storied coffeehouses are shuttering their doors. Does the demise of once beloved, one-time coffeehouse meeting places of intellectuals and artists signal the end of the intellectual culture and cultural intellect that once thrived in these caffeinated colossuses of creativity? demise of once beloved, one-time coffeehouse meeting places of intellectuals and artists, signals the end of the intellectual culture and cultural intellect that once thrived in these caffeinated colossuses of creativity?

Music: Talisman, in honor of being selected as the breakout act of the year by Galgalatz:

]]>01:01:46noWe discuss whether it's time time for Israeli leftists to embrace a sort of Bernie-Sandersian populism, an unnerving new viral video of two kids rapping about taking selfies in Auschwitz, and whether the demise of beloved literary hangout cafes in Tel Aviv signals the deterioration of public discourse.fullThe "Pascal's Meteorology" EditionThe "Pascal's Meteorology" EditionThu, 11 Jan 2018 16:39:26 +0000Noah Efron, Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Should the very job description of the UN agency that provides aid to Palestinians be revisited and changed?

Pascal’s Meteorology

Last week the Israeli minister of agriculture organized a huge vigil at the Western Wall to pray for rain. Was there something untoward and inappropriate about a minister initiating and taking part in a public prayer?

Rachael Ray’s Rapine Recipes

Celebrity chef Rachael Ray sparked controversy with a picture of an "Israeli nite" feast. Is there something to the claims that the popularity of Israeli cuisine is, among other things, an erasure of Palestinian cuisine? If there is anything to these claims, how ought we feel about them and react to them?

]]>Noah Efron, Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Don Futterman discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

UNRWA ShmUNRWA Should the very job description of the UN agency that provides aid to Palestinians be revisited and changed?

Pascal’s Meteorology Last week the Israeli minister of agriculture organized a huge vigil at the Western Wall to pray for rain. Was there something untoward and inappropriate about a minister initiating and taking part in a public prayer?

Rachael Ray’s Rapine Recipes Celebrity chef Rachael Ray sparked controversy with a picture of an "Israeli nite" feast. Is there something to the claims that the popularity of Israeli cuisine is, among other things, an erasure of Palestinian cuisine? If there is anything to these claims, how ought we feel about them and react to them?

]]>01:04:15noWe discuss Trump's decision to stop funding the UN agency that gives aid to Palestinians, the Israeli minister of agriculture's decision to hold a mass prayer for rain at the Western Wall, and the brouhaha over celebrity chef Rachael Ray's tweet about hummus being Israeli.fullThe "Likud's Settlement-Schizoid New Year's Resolutions” EditionThe "Likud's Settlement-Schizoid New Year's Resolutions” EditionThu, 04 Jan 2018 17:36:12 +0000Noah Efron, Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Times of Israel's Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

On the last day of 2017, the Israeli prime minister's party made two precedented statements about the future of the Palestinian territories. How do we make sense of the two different voices we heard from Likud concerning settlements on December 31, 2017?

Linguaphobia

Some Israelis recently went into a tizzy when white-on-black billboards in Arabic filled their landscape. What accounts for many Jewish Israelis' fear of one of the country's two official languages?

Now That's Israeli!

A recent poll asked Israelis to pick the "most Israeli" thing in a number of categories, including the most Israeli PM, what the most Israeli character flaw is, and much more. What to make of the answers, and how do we answer the question of what is "most Israeli"?

]]>Noah Efron, Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer, and Times of Israel's Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

On the last day of 2017, the Israeli prime minister's party made two precedented statements about the future of the Palestinian territories. How do we make sense of the two different voices we heard from Likud concerning settlements on December 31, 2017?

Linguaphobia

Some Israelis recently went into a tizzy when white-on-black billboards in Arabic filled their landscape. What accounts for many Jewish Israelis' fear of one of the country's two official languages?

Now That's Israeli!

A recent poll asked Israelis to pick the "most Israeli" thing in a number of categories, including the most Israeli PM, what the most Israeli character flaw is, and much more. What to make of the answers, and how do we answer the question of what is "most Israeli"?

]]>01:09:30noWe discuss the schizoid New Year's Eve decisions of the Likud government to approve a deal with Europe that includes a boycott of settlements, the anxious tizzy some folks entered when white-on-black billboards in Arabic filled the landscape, and a poll that finds what people find "most Israeli," and how we would answer the same question.full“The ‘Herem’ of Public Opinion” Edition“The 'Herem' of Public Opinion” EditionThu, 28 Dec 2017 17:08:00 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

New Right? After right-wing voices join (albeit hesitantly) protests against the putative corruptions of the Netanyahu government, we ask whether this marks an important (and perhaps portentous) change. Does it mark an important change in the attitudes of (at least a portion of) the right?

Only Sixteen Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi is only lately the most recognizable face in a venerable activist family. Most recently, she appeared in another video that drew international attention. We try to puzzle out what sense to make of the latest incident. What, if anything, do we learn from it?

The “Herem” of Public Opinion: On Excommunication and Rehabilitation After writer and pundit Ari Shavit cancels a lecture over past sexual harassment, we ask: Should we be crowdsourcing judgment, or meting out tribal justice, when there seems to be no other way to get justice at all? If so, then how do we know when the punishment ought to end?

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

New Right? After right-wing voices join (albeit hesitantly) protests against the putative corruptions of the Netanyahu government, we ask whether this marks an important (and perhaps portentous) change. Does it mark an important change in the attitudes of (at least a portion of) the right?

Only Sixteen Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi is only lately the most recognizable face in a venerable activist family. Most recently, she appeared in another video that drew international attention. We try to puzzle out what sense to make of the latest incident. What, if anything, do we learn from it?

The “Herem” of Public Opinion: On Excommunication and Rehabilitation After writer and pundit Ari Shavit cancels a lecture over past sexual harassment, we ask: Should we be crowdsourcing judgment, or meting out tribal justice, when there seems to be no other way to get justice at all? If so, then how do we know when the punishment ought to end?

]]>01:04:18noWe discuss the implications of Israeli right-wing voices joining anti-corruption protests, another viral video by teenaged Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi, and whether we should be crowdsourcing judgment when there seems to be no other way to get justice at all.fullThe “Webbutz?” EditionThe “Webbutz?” EditionThu, 21 Dec 2017 16:49:30 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israeli and global pharmaceutical giant Teva – once the most successful company to come from the soil of the holy land – has announced it will close factories in Israel and fire 1,700 workers. Should the factories be nationalized?

More Thomas Hobbes, Less Dale Carnegie?

Do Israel’s opposition politicians to be less civil towards Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government?

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israeli and global pharmaceutical giant Teva – once the most successful company to come from the soil of the holy land – has announced it will close factories in Israel and fire 1,700 workers. Should the factories be nationalized?

More Thomas Hobbes, Less Dale Carnegie?

Do Israel’s opposition politicians to be less civil towards Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government?

]]>01:08:32noWe consider how to respond to pharma giant Teva's announcement of massive layoffs, whether Israel's opposition needs to be less civil towards political opponents, and if there is something Israeli about the company WeWork's communal work space concept. fullThe “Who Killed Hanukkah?” EditionThe “Who Killed Hanukkah?” EditionThu, 14 Dec 2017 15:39:00 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Looking for the extra segments and topic prep material? Support the show by becoming a patron. Learn more on Patreon.

See No Evil? Evil Not to See?

After an Israeli musician covered his eyes with duct tape rather than see women dancing, offending many, we ask: Should we really be mad at him? If so, why precisely?

The Perplexing Problem of Patriotism

Why does Israel's Left consistently fail to persuade fellow citizens that they are, indeed, just as patriotic as other Israelis?

Who Killed Hanukkah?

What explains the downgrading of Hanukkah from one of the most important Zionist holidays -- secular and political in nature -- to one of the least important Israeli holidays?

Music by Yonatan Raz’el, a musicians’ musician who unleashed an uproar this week when, for religious reasons, he taped over his eyes at a concert rather than watching women dance in front of the stage:

Hallelujah Nafshenu Hiktah Poteah Lev Ivdu et ha-Shem be-Simha

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Ha’aretz journalist Allison Kaplan Sommer discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Looking for the extra segments and topic prep material? Support the show by becoming a patron. Learn more on Patreon.

See No Evil? Evil Not to See?

After an Israeli musician covered his eyes with duct tape rather than see women dancing, offending many, we ask: Should we really be mad at him? If so, why precisely?

The Perplexing Problem of Patriotism

Why does Israel's Left consistently fail to persuade fellow citizens that they are, indeed, just as patriotic as other Israelis?

Who Killed Hanukkah?

What explains the downgrading of Hanukkah from one of the most important Zionist holidays -- secular and political in nature -- to one of the least important Israeli holidays?

Music by Yonatan Raz’el, a musicians’ musician who unleashed an uproar this week when, for religious reasons, he taped over his eyes at a concert rather than watching women dance in front of the stage:

Hallelujah Nafshenu Hiktah Poteah Lev Ivdu et ha-Shem be-Simha

]]>01:04:19noNoah Efron, Don Futterman, and Allison Kaplan Sommer discuss the brouhaha over an ultra-Orthodox musician, the Israeli Left's patriotism problem, and why Hanukkah has lost its status as one of the most important Zionist holidays. fullThe “If I Don't Recogize You, O Jerusalem - Live from Boston” EditionFri, 08 Dec 2017 09:20:58 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, Ha’aretz International Director Charlotte Hallé, and and ARZA President Josh Weinberg are live in Boston to discuss three topics of incomparable importance.

Looking for the patron-supported extra segments? Find them on Patreon.

It Happens in the Best of Families

What can be done to allow American Jews to identify with a state whose leaders break deals with them, accuse them of living soft and convenient lives, and disparage them in a variety of ways?

If I Don't Recognize You, O Jerusalem

What fears and hopes are sparked by Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital city?

What Do and Don't Demonstrations Do?

What do demonstrations do? What have demonstrations done? Must we admit that they may have become an empty ritual?

]]>01:19:47nofullThe “Why Oh Why Won’t You Try Me?” EditionThu, 30 Nov 2017 16:59:15 +0000Noah, Gilad Halpern, host of TLV1’s Tel Aviv Review and Miriam Herschlag, Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Looking for the extra segments? Access them by becoming a patron of the show. Learn more on Patreon.

Why Oh Why Won’t You Try Me? An IDF officer and spokesperson for human rights NGO Breaking the Silence demanding to be prosecuted for beating a Palestinian man, only to find that the State Attorney’s Office insists he is innocent.

The Revolution Won’t Be Televised A proposed amendment to the elections advertising law that will do away with government sponsored free TV spots during election campaigns, but is it too early to eulogize the place of television in electoral politics?

Bewarebnb Airbnb is driving up rent in Tel Aviv and driving out folks who desperately want to live there. Should we prefer hip German tourists over our own (also hip) college kids who just want to live in the big city?

All this and the soulful music of Toot Ard, in celebration of their great new record, Lassez Passer!

]]>Noah, Gilad Halpern, host of TLV1’s Tel Aviv Review and Miriam Herschlag, Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Looking for the extra segments? Access them by becoming a patron of the show. Learn more on Patreon.

Why Oh Why Won’t You Try Me? An IDF officer and spokesperson for human rights NGO Breaking the Silence demanding to be prosecuted for beating a Palestinian man, only to find that the State Attorney’s Office insists he is innocent.

The Revolution Won’t Be Televised A proposed amendment to the elections advertising law that will do away with government sponsored free TV spots during election campaigns, but is it too early to eulogize the place of television in electoral politics?

Bewarebnb Airbnb is driving up rent in Tel Aviv and driving out folks who desperately want to live there. Should we prefer hip German tourists over our own (also hip) college kids who just want to live in the big city?

All this and the soulful music of Toot Ard, in celebration of their great new record, Lassez Passer!

Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Ha’aretz International Director Charlotte Halle discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel contemplates paying $8,500 a head for African asylum seekers to leave for Rwanda. Is this solving a thorny problem, or indulging an ugly xenophobia?

Losing Our Religion?

Has Israel’s left “forgotten what it means to be Jews,” as the new head of the Labor Party says?

The End of the Zooish People?

Tel Aviv is closing all its zoos and petting zoos, because they are inhumane and harmful to animals. But isn’t something crucial lost when kids grow up seeing no animals besides dogs, cats, pigeons and rats?

Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Ha’aretz International Director Charlotte Halle discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel contemplates paying $8,500 a head for African asylum seekers to leave for Rwanda. Is this solving a thorny problem, or indulging an ugly xenophobia?

Losing Our Religion?

Has Israel’s left “forgotten what it means to be Jews,” as the new head of the Labor Party says?

The End of the Zooish People?

Tel Aviv is closing all its zoos and petting zoos, because they are inhumane and harmful to animals. But isn’t something crucial lost when kids grow up seeing no animals besides dogs, cats, pigeons and rats?

]]>01:01:14nofullThe "Unscrewed" EditionThu, 16 Nov 2017 14:37:48 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and roving reporter extraordinaire Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Unscrewed Why do members of Israel's secular and Mizrahi right not seem to feel the sense of grievance often attributed to them, and why do relatively well-off liberal-left voters feel they are subject to discrimination?

Expatriotism What is the Israeli-American Council? Why does it exist? And what is its impact on American Jewry and on Israel?

Between a Rock and a Hard-On: Israeli Women and the Patriarchy Amid ongoing revelations about powerful men committing harassment, abuse, and assault against women, we ask what this moment means, and also ask, particularly in the context of Israel, what can and must be done?

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and roving reporter extraordinaire Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Unscrewed Why do members of Israel's secular and Mizrahi right not seem to feel the sense of grievance often attributed to them, and why do relatively well-off liberal-left voters feel they are subject to discrimination?

Expatriotism What is the Israeli-American Council? Why does it exist? And what is its impact on American Jewry and on Israel?

Between a Rock and a Hard-On: Israeli Women and the Patriarchy Amid ongoing revelations about powerful men committing harassment, abuse, and assault against women, we ask what this moment means, and also ask, particularly in the context of Israel, what can and must be done?

]]>01:06:07nofullThe “On the Road to Perdition with Waze” EditionThu, 09 Nov 2017 17:34:08 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Body Politic Five Islamic Jihad militants were killed when the tunnel they burrowed to attack an Israeli kibbutz was destroyed. Should Israel immediately return the bodies, or use them as a "bargaining chip" to barter the return of the bodies of Israeli soldiers held by Hamas?

Refugee Repatriation Expectation: Acceleration to Reconciliation or Mummification of Negotiation? As Israel considers what a peace deal would look like, the debate continues about whether or not the descendants of Palestinians dispossessed of homes and lands in 1948 should be allowed to return.

On the Road to Perdition with Waze The Israeli-designed community-based traffic and navigation app Waze is one of the so-called start-up nation’s biggest success stories. But could Waze be harming our environment and our democracy?

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Body Politic Five Islamic Jihad militants were killed when the tunnel they burrowed to attack an Israeli kibbutz was destroyed. Should Israel immediately return the bodies, or use them as a "bargaining chip" to barter the return of the bodies of Israeli soldiers held by Hamas?

Refugee Repatriation Expectation: Acceleration to Reconciliation or Mummification of Negotiation? As Israel considers what a peace deal would look like, the debate continues about whether or not the descendants of Palestinians dispossessed of homes and lands in 1948 should be allowed to return.

On the Road to Perdition with Waze The Israeli-designed community-based traffic and navigation app Waze is one of the so-called start-up nation’s biggest success stories. But could Waze be harming our environment and our democracy?

]]>01:06:23nofullThe “Is it Time to Retire the ‘Z Word’?” EditionThe “Is it Time to Retire the ‘Z Word’?” EditionThu, 02 Nov 2017 16:24:17 +0000Noah Efron, Tel Aviv Review host Gilad Halpern, and Ha’aretz International Director Charlotte Hallé discuss the centennial of the Balfour Declaration which was controversial then and remains so today, the assertion of some leaders of Meretz that the party is no longer Zionist, and a Supreme Court ruling allowing stores to stay open on the Sabbath.

Balfour’s Declaration, Jewish Celebration, and Palestinian Vexation: An Evaluation It is the centennial of the Balfour Declaration, affirming the right of Jews to a “national home” in Palestine. It was controversial then, and remains so today. What should we make of it?

Meretz: Same Great Party – Now, with Less Zionism! Leaders of the long-time standard-bearer for Israel’s liberal, Zionist left – Meretz – say their party is no longer Zionist. Is it time to retire the “Z Word”?

The Sabbath: Day of Unrest Israel’s Supreme Court says stores should stay open in Tel Aviv on the Sabbath. Some say they struck a blow for freedom. Some say, workers deserve a day off. Some say, God is a higher authority. Whose right?

]]>Noah Efron, Tel Aviv Review host Gilad Halpern, and Ha’aretz International Director Charlotte Hallé discuss the centennial of the Balfour Declaration which was controversial then and remains so today, the assertion of some leaders of Meretz that the party is no longer Zionist, and a Supreme Court ruling allowing stores to stay open on the Sabbath.

Balfour’s Declaration, Jewish Celebration, and Palestinian Vexation: An Evaluation It is the centennial of the Balfour Declaration, affirming the right of Jews to a “national home” in Palestine. It was controversial then, and remains so today. What should we make of it?

Meretz: Same Great Party – Now, with Less Zionism! Leaders of the long-time standard-bearer for Israel’s liberal, Zionist left – Meretz – say their party is no longer Zionist. Is it time to retire the “Z Word”?

The Sabbath: Day of Unrest Israel’s Supreme Court says stores should stay open in Tel Aviv on the Sabbath. Some say they struck a blow for freedom. Some say, workers deserve a day off. Some say, God is a higher authority. Whose right?

]]>01:04:21noWe discuss the centennial of the Balfour Declaration which was controversial then and remains so today, the assertion of some leaders of Meretz that the party is no longer Zionist, and a Supreme Court ruling allowing stores to stay open on the Sabbath.fullThe “A Presidential Address of Existential Distress” EditionThu, 26 Oct 2017 15:43:40 +0000Noah Efron, Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, and Tel Aviv Review host Gilad Halpern discuss discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Ruvi Rivlin’s Presidential Address of Existential Distress President Reuven Rivlin made a chilling start-of-the-winter-legislative-session speech to Knesset, in which he warned that Israeli democracy itself may be imperiled.

The Gift of Gabbay Avi Gabbay, the new head of the Labor Party, presumptive leader of the left, and heir not-so-apparent to Israel’s premiership, has triangulated to the right.

It’s the Patriarchy, Stupid! There’s a brouhaha over a feminist Member of Knesset who suggested that kids might be better off if there were no marriages or nuclear families.

Music: The Aprons, in honor of their newest, crowdfunded record, “Any Human Heart” Day Off Any Human Heart You Her and Me Champagne and Strawberries

]]>Noah Efron, Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag, and Tel Aviv Review host Gilad Halpern discuss discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Ruvi Rivlin’s Presidential Address of Existential Distress President Reuven Rivlin made a chilling start-of-the-winter-legislative-session speech to Knesset, in which he warned that Israeli democracy itself may be imperiled.

The Gift of Gabbay Avi Gabbay, the new head of the Labor Party, presumptive leader of the left, and heir not-so-apparent to Israel’s premiership, has triangulated to the right.

It’s the Patriarchy, Stupid! There’s a brouhaha over a feminist Member of Knesset who suggested that kids might be better off if there were no marriages or nuclear families.

Music: The Aprons, in honor of their newest, crowdfunded record, “Any Human Heart” Day Off Any Human Heart You Her and Me Champagne and Strawberries

]]>01:02:33noWe discuss the historic reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, the decisions by the US and Israel to bolt from UNESCO, and an ultra-Orthodox rejection of the market economy.fullThe “A Girl, and I Shoot Well!” EditionThe “A Girl, and I Shoot Well!” EditionWed, 11 Oct 2017 05:00:00 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

“A Girl, and I Shoot Well!” There is a remarkable new documentary web series following three young women living in far flung parts of the occupied territories who have little in common, save that they are all passionate, articulate, beautiful, and armed settlers.

College of Corrections What should we make of a shocking new and “world’s first” proposal to allow a university to manage a prison jointly with the Israel Prison Service?

The Problem with Jewish Pride It’s a challenging claim by one of our most astute public intellectuals: the ascent of chauvinist Jewish pride is a sign that Zionism has failed.

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

“A Girl, and I Shoot Well!” There is a remarkable new documentary web series following three young women living in far flung parts of the occupied territories who have little in common, save that they are all passionate, articulate, beautiful, and armed settlers.

College of Corrections What should we make of a shocking new and “world’s first” proposal to allow a university to manage a prison jointly with the Israel Prison Service?

The Problem with Jewish Pride It’s a challenging claim by one of our most astute public intellectuals: the ascent of chauvinist Jewish pride is a sign that Zionism has failed.

]]>01:06:32noWe discuss a documentary series about armed female settlers, a university managing a prison, and whether Jewish pride means Zionism has failed.fullThe “A Pall to Arms” EditionThe “A Pall to Arms” EditionWed, 04 Oct 2017 05:17:22 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and roving reporter extraordinaire Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Martial Mercy for Military Manslaughter? IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot decided to reduce by 4 months the sentence of Elor Azaria, the soldier who shot dead a 21-year-old Palestinian who had minutes earlier stabbed and wounded an IDF soldier.

A Pall to Arms As protests swell over our sale of arms to the brutish generals of Burma/Myanmar, what is the morality of Israel’s weapons industry?

Museology of the Oppressed (with Apologies to Paulo Freire) There are plans to construct 20 museums in development towns, to finally acknowledge the contributions made by what was for so long regarded as “the other Israel.”

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and roving reporter extraordinaire Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Martial Mercy for Military Manslaughter? IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot decided to reduce by 4 months the sentence of Elor Azaria, the soldier who shot dead a 21-year-old Palestinian who had minutes earlier stabbed and wounded an IDF soldier.

A Pall to Arms As protests swell over our sale of arms to the brutish generals of Burma/Myanmar, what is the morality of Israel’s weapons industry?

Museology of the Oppressed (with Apologies to Paulo Freire) There are plans to construct 20 museums in development towns, to finally acknowledge the contributions made by what was for so long regarded as “the other Israel.”

]]>01:01:58noWe discuss the reduced sentence of the IDF soldier who killed a subdued Palestinian attacker, the morality of Israel's weapons industry, and twenty new museums in Israel's development towns.fullThe “For the Sins We Have Sinned” EditionThe “For the Sins We Have Sinned” EditionThu, 28 Sep 2017 15:33:18 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Poll: Netanyahu is the Best PM and also a Liar who Must Resign! The first public opinion poll of the new year serves us up a mess of conflicting opinions, suggesting that the right has grown much weaker and at the same time is as strong as ever, that PM Netanyahu’s career is toast and also that it is as inevitable as a Shabbat challah, and more.

Foucault, Derrida, Shagar, the Settler Nakba, and the Future of Zionism Have young settlers rejected the nationalism of their parents, embracing instead a neo-Hasidic post-Zionism that changes their political views and aspirations?

For the Sins We Have Sinned Which of our collective sins should most occupy us on this Yom Kippur?

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Poll: Netanyahu is the Best PM and also a Liar who Must Resign! The first public opinion poll of the new year serves us up a mess of conflicting opinions, suggesting that the right has grown much weaker and at the same time is as strong as ever, that PM Netanyahu’s career is toast and also that it is as inevitable as a Shabbat challah, and more.

Foucault, Derrida, Shagar, the Settler Nakba, and the Future of Zionism Have young settlers rejected the nationalism of their parents, embracing instead a neo-Hasidic post-Zionism that changes their political views and aspirations?

For the Sins We Have Sinned Which of our collective sins should most occupy us on this Yom Kippur?

]]>01:03:00noWe discuss the a public opinion poll that serves us up a mess of conflicting opinions, young settlers rejecting the nationalism of their parents, and which of our collective sins should most occupy us on this Yom Kippur.fullThe “Serving God and Country” EditionThe “Serving God and Country” EditionWed, 20 Sep 2017 09:35:27 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and roving Middle East reporter extraordinaire Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Serving God and Country The Supreme Court has rejected the government’s present policy of (effectively) allowing mass exemptions from army service to Haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, kids as unconstitutional and discriminatory.

The De-Malling of Israel Malls in Israel have been deserted and are collapsing: is this is a harbinger of the de-Amerification of Israeli culture?

5777 We review the most percussive and important events and people of the year that ends this week, 5777.

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and roving Middle East reporter extraordinaire Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Serving God and Country The Supreme Court has rejected the government’s present policy of (effectively) allowing mass exemptions from army service to Haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, kids as unconstitutional and discriminatory.

The De-Malling of Israel Malls in Israel have been deserted and are collapsing: is this is a harbinger of the de-Amerification of Israeli culture?

5777 We review the most percussive and important events and people of the year that ends this week, 5777.

]]>01:07:38noWe discuss the Supreme Court's rejection of allowing religious exemptions from army service, the desertion and collapse of malls in Israel, and the most important events and people of the year 5777.fullThe “Keeping Up With the Netanyahus” EditionThe “Keeping Up With the Netanyahus” EditionThu, 14 Sep 2017 15:35:22 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and International Director of Ha’aretz Charlotte Hallé discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Keeping Up With the Netanyahus (or, Reality Bites) The first family is full of reality-TV foibles as lady Sara Netanyahu faces indictment for stealing government monies and first son Yair Netanyahu posts on Facebook an ickily anti-Semitic meme. Should the Prime Minister pay a political price for the zany malefactions of his family?

The Likud is Not a Body that Needs Democracy? The Young Turk “New Likudniks” are trying to take over the party and move it leftward: is that o.k.?

Animal Politics Why does the struggle for animal rights and animal liberation resonate so strongly with so many Israelis?

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and International Director of Ha’aretz Charlotte Hallé discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Keeping Up With the Netanyahus (or, Reality Bites) The first family is full of reality-TV foibles as lady Sara Netanyahu faces indictment for stealing government monies and first son Yair Netanyahu posts on Facebook an ickily anti-Semitic meme. Should the Prime Minister pay a political price for the zany malefactions of his family?

The Likud is Not a Body that Needs Democracy? The Young Turk “New Likudniks” are trying to take over the party and move it leftward: is that o.k.?

Animal Politics Why does the struggle for animal rights and animal liberation resonate so strongly with so many Israelis?

]]>01:02:26noWe discuss the reality-TV foibles of the First Family, the leftist "New Likudniks" taking over their party, and why animal rights resonates with Israelis.fullThe “From Sex Industry to Ex-Industry?” EditionThe “From Sex Industry to Ex-Industry?” EditionThu, 07 Sep 2017 15:23:20 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Nabi Saleh, 1:15 a.m. Al Jazeera published a video of IDF soldiers searching a West Bank Palestinian home. What, if anything, can we learn from it about the nature of the occupation and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?

Paper Trail (or in the Gloam with Yisrael Ha-Yom) There was a shocking disclosure that Prime Minister Netanyahu conversed lots with the owner and editor of Israel’s biggest newspaper, the free daily Yisrael Ha-Yom, before elections and many other important news events. Could this possibly be kosher?

From Sex Industry to Ex-Industry? The courts and the Knesset have recently moved to squelch the sex industry: is this blessed feminism or cursed puritanism?

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Nabi Saleh, 1:15 a.m. Al Jazeera published a video of IDF soldiers searching a West Bank Palestinian home. What, if anything, can we learn from it about the nature of the occupation and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?

Paper Trail (or in the Gloam with Yisrael Ha-Yom) There was a shocking disclosure that Prime Minister Netanyahu conversed lots with the owner and editor of Israel’s biggest newspaper, the free daily Yisrael Ha-Yom, before elections and many other important news events. Could this possibly be kosher?

From Sex Industry to Ex-Industry? The courts and the Knesset have recently moved to squelch the sex industry: is this blessed feminism or cursed puritanism?

]]>01:04:40noWe discuss a video of IDF soldiers searching a West Bank Palestinian home, PM Netanyahu's conversations with the Yisrael Ha-Yom newspaper, and the fate of the Israeli sex industry.fullThe “Dezionizing the Skies?” EditionThe “Dezionizing the Skies?” EditionThu, 31 Aug 2017 16:00:31 +0000Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A Protest Stressed, Compressed, and Messed, all at the Supreme Court’s Behest There’s a brouhaha over whether, when and where protestors can demonstrate against the putative corruption of PM Netanyahu.

Grading Israel’s Schools, or Scientia potentia est? A new Ministry of Education website contains all imaginable data about Israel’s schools; but could this be too much information?

Dezionizing the Skies? There’s a hubbub around the suggestion that Israel needs to change the name of our airport, because some Palestinian citizens see Ben Gurion as an author of their people’s miseries.

]]>Noah Efron, Don Futterman, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A Protest Stressed, Compressed, and Messed, all at the Supreme Court’s Behest There’s a brouhaha over whether, when and where protestors can demonstrate against the putative corruption of PM Netanyahu.

Grading Israel’s Schools, or Scientia potentia est? A new Ministry of Education website contains all imaginable data about Israel’s schools; but could this be too much information?

Dezionizing the Skies? There’s a hubbub around the suggestion that Israel needs to change the name of our airport, because some Palestinian citizens see Ben Gurion as an author of their people’s miseries.

]]>01:10:13noWe discuss the brouhaha over whether protestors can demonstrate against the putative corruption of PM Netanyahu, a new website containing all imaginable data about Israel's schools, and the suggestion that Israel needs to change the name of our airport.fullThe “Lanyard, Color War and Rocket Propelled Grenades: The Things I Learned at Camp” EditionThe “Lanyard, Color War and Rocket Propelled Grenades: The Things I Learned at Camp” EditionThu, 24 Aug 2017 15:19:30 +0000Noah, The Tel Aviv Review’s Dahlia Scheindlin, and roving freelance journalist Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Making War Prime Minister Netanyahu attempts to reduce the number of government ministers who must approve a declaration of war, which some see as Strangelovean megalomania.

Lanyard, Color War and Rocket Propelled Grenades: The Things I Learned at Camp New “camps” for tourists that teach firearms, explosives and other deadly arts are popping up in Israel. What are we to make of them?

Alternative Facts about Trees and Shrubs There is a surprisingly vicious debate over trees and shade taking place over who ought to decide what to plant, when, and where.

]]>Noah, The Tel Aviv Review’s Dahlia Scheindlin, and roving freelance journalist Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Making War Prime Minister Netanyahu attempts to reduce the number of government ministers who must approve a declaration of war, which some see as Strangelovean megalomania.

Lanyard, Color War and Rocket Propelled Grenades: The Things I Learned at Camp New “camps” for tourists that teach firearms, explosives and other deadly arts are popping up in Israel. What are we to make of them?

Alternative Facts about Trees and Shrubs There is a surprisingly vicious debate over trees and shade taking place over who ought to decide what to plant, when, and where.

]]>01:05:04noWe discuss Bibi's bid to reduce the number of government ministers who must approve a declaration of war, new "camps" for tourists that teach firearms, explosives and other deadly arts, and a surprising vicious debate over trees and shade.fullThe “Charlottesville and Jerusalem” EditionThe “Charlottesville and Jerusalem” EditionThu, 17 Aug 2017 14:58:32 +0000Noah, host of TLV1’s The Tel Aviv Review Gilad Halpern, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

]]>Noah, host of TLV1’s The Tel Aviv Review Gilad Halpern, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

]]>01:08:45noWe discuss corruption charges against Netanyahu, parents’ groups aiming to keep religion out of schools, and whether Israelis should speak out against Charlottesville.fullThe “Women of Influence” EditionThe “Women of Influence” EditionThu, 10 Aug 2017 17:11:37 +0000Allison, Noah, and host of TLV1’s The Tel Aviv Review Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

]]>Allison, Noah, and host of TLV1’s The Tel Aviv Review Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Allison, Noah, and host of TLV1’s The Tel Aviv Review Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Netanyahu’s Trump Card Benjamin Netanyahu has borrowed the war against “Fake News.” Are Israelis buying the idea of a media conspiracy against the Prime Minister and all that is sacred and pure?

Water Bottles Everywhere, and Not a Drop to Drink Drinking fountains have disappeared from Israel’s cities. Does this have to do with the gears of capitalism being greased with the blood of the workers?

When the Bands Stopped Playing Why have bands vanished from Israel’s hit parades, replaced by solo singers?

Allison, Noah, and host of TLV1’s The Tel Aviv Review Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Netanyahu’s Trump Card Benjamin Netanyahu has borrowed the war against “Fake News.” Are Israelis buying the idea of a media conspiracy against the Prime Minister and all that is sacred and pure?

Water Bottles Everywhere, and Not a Drop to Drink Drinking fountains have disappeared from Israel’s cities. Does this have to do with the gears of capitalism being greased with the blood of the workers?

When the Bands Stopped Playing Why have bands vanished from Israel’s hit parades, replaced by solo singers?

]]>01:04:16noWe discuss Netanyahu's borrowed war against "Fake News," the disappearance of drinking fountains from Israel’s cities, and why Israeli bands have vanished.fullThe “Sacred Sites and Plights” EditionThe “Sacred Sites and Plights” EditionThu, 27 Jul 2017 17:51:44 +0000Don, Noah, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Hershlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Sacred Sites, Fights, and Plights Frightful tensions are mounting over the Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif: are we teetering at the edge of religious war?

Moving Up? New research finds that the path for the poor into the upper-middle class is twisty and perverse.

The Queer Thing about Israel’s LGBTQ What is it about the struggle for LGBTQ rights that especially inspires so much support and sympathy in Israel?

]]>01:03:24noWe discuss mounting tensions over the Temple Mount, the path for escaping poverty in Israel, and the struggle for LGBTQ rights.fullThe “BDS? There’s an App for That Now!” EditionThu, 20 Jul 2017 14:06:02 +0000Don, Noah, and roving freelance journalist Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A Tale of Two ‘One Percents’ A study found that Israel has two ‘one-percents,’ an economic elite and a political elite, each screwing us in their own way.

Movin’ Pictures The radical, political ‘Cinematheque’ in Tel Aviv seems to be going mainstream, abandoning provocation for entertainment. But is that what an avant garde art emporium is for?

BDS? There’s an App for hat Now! A new government funding app is meant to encourage young people to undo BDS: it’s Facebook meets Tinder meets Pokemon Go meets Spy vs. Spy meets Hasbara. What are we to make of a thing like that?

]]>Don, Noah, and roving freelance journalist Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A Tale of Two ‘One Percents’ A study found that Israel has two ‘one-percents,’ an economic elite and a political elite, each screwing us in their own way.

Movin’ Pictures The radical, political ‘Cinematheque’ in Tel Aviv seems to be going mainstream, abandoning provocation for entertainment. But is that what an avant garde art emporium is for?

BDS? There’s an App for hat Now! A new government funding app is meant to encourage young people to undo BDS: it’s Facebook meets Tinder meets Pokemon Go meets Spy vs. Spy meets Hasbara. What are we to make of a thing like that?

]]>01:03:09yesThe “Jews with Javelins!” EditionThu, 13 Jul 2017 05:38:14 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

From Board Room to Barricades: The Unlikely New Leader of Israel’s Left Avi Gabbay emerged from obscurity to head the Labor Party and, perforce, the Israeli Left in a shocking upset. What the hell just happened?

Praying to No God What does the surprising rise of “secular prayer” among Israeli Jews say about the state of our souls?

Jews with Javelins! The Maccabiah Games have inexplicably (but charmingly) survived the years. Like cotillions, High Table at Oxford in full medieval regalia, and Scottish weddings in kilts, the Games seem like a living time capsule.

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

From Board Room to Barricades: The Unlikely New Leader of Israel’s Left Avi Gabbay emerged from obscurity to head the Labor Party and, perforce, the Israeli Left in a shocking upset. What the hell just happened?

Praying to No God What does the surprising rise of “secular prayer” among Israeli Jews say about the state of our souls?

Jews with Javelins! The Maccabiah Games have inexplicably (but charmingly) survived the years. Like cotillions, High Table at Oxford in full medieval regalia, and Scottish weddings in kilts, the Games seem like a living time capsule.

]]>01:02:46noThe “Breaking and Fixing Politics” EditionThu, 06 Jul 2017 16:16:00 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

New Labor? Round one of the Labor Party leadership elections left the old elites thoroughly thrashed. What does the future hold for the Left now?

The Broken Man who Broke Israeli Politics It was a sad spectacle to see a diminished Ehud Olmert, the first Prime Minister convicted of a felony, being released from jail. Is he partly responsible for our cynicism about politicians?

Offshore Palestinians It’s a fantabulous utopian idea: building a high-tech, artificial island of Gaza with an airport, seaport, power plant, desalination center, and more. Will this solve Gaza’s humanitarian crisis?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

New Labor? Round one of the Labor Party leadership elections left the old elites thoroughly thrashed. What does the future hold for the Left now?

The Broken Man who Broke Israeli Politics It was a sad spectacle to see a diminished Ehud Olmert, the first Prime Minister convicted of a felony, being released from jail. Is he partly responsible for our cynicism about politicians?

Offshore Palestinians It’s a fantabulous utopian idea: building a high-tech, artificial island of Gaza with an airport, seaport, power plant, desalination center, and more. Will this solve Gaza’s humanitarian crisis?

]]>01:03:39noThe “Pile of Stones” EditionThu, 29 Jun 2017 16:17:38 +0000Noah, Don, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

We Got the Power Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas demanded that Israel reduce the electricity it transfers to Gaza by almost half, leaving hospitals there unsure if can keep their ventilators going. Israel acquiesced. The move may weaken Hamas, but can such a thing possibly be justified?

Covering the Dead Do we pay too much attention to the tragic victims of terrorist attacks, at the expense of other things to which we ought to also be giving our consideration?

Pile of Stones The dispute continues over egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall, following the government’s decision not to implement its earlier decision to build a section at the Wall for liberal Jews to pray and slip their own notes to God between the stones. Should progressive Jews care about the wall, anyway?

]]>Noah, Don, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

We Got the Power Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas demanded that Israel reduce the electricity it transfers to Gaza by almost half, leaving hospitals there unsure if can keep their ventilators going. Israel acquiesced. The move may weaken Hamas, but can such a thing possibly be justified?

Covering the Dead Do we pay too much attention to the tragic victims of terrorist attacks, at the expense of other things to which we ought to also be giving our consideration?

Pile of Stones The dispute continues over egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall, following the government’s decision not to implement its earlier decision to build a section at the Wall for liberal Jews to pray and slip their own notes to God between the stones. Should progressive Jews care about the wall, anyway?

]]>01:11:30noThe “Leave it to the Experts?” EditionThu, 22 Jun 2017 13:00:00 +0000Noah, Don and Allison discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Primum non nocere? Medical experiments were performed on Yemeni Jewish babies and kids in the early 1950s. What does this awful news tell us about ourselves and what should we do about it now?

Uppity Americans? American Jewish activists are organizing and taking direct political action in Israel, but some Israeli Leftists think that these foreigners may be getting too big for their britches.

A Cabinet of Experts There is a proposal to install “experts” instead of politicians as key cabinet ministers.

]]>Noah, Don and Allison discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Primum non nocere? Medical experiments were performed on Yemeni Jewish babies and kids in the early 1950s. What does this awful news tell us about ourselves and what should we do about it now?

Uppity Americans? American Jewish activists are organizing and taking direct political action in Israel, but some Israeli Leftists think that these foreigners may be getting too big for their britches.

A Cabinet of Experts There is a proposal to install “experts” instead of politicians as key cabinet ministers.

]]>01:02:44noThe "Will Politics be on the Midterm?" EditionThu, 15 Jun 2017 05:00:00 +0000Noah, Don and Allison (joined by uber-researcher to the stars, Amit Ashkenazi) discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is the Man Israel Needs a Moroccan, Ultra-Orthodox Woman? The only female candidate to head the Labor Party is Dina Dayan, an ultra-Orthodox woman from the nether reaches of the Negev Desert. In a socko election ad, she attacked the party she aims to lead as racist and out-of-touch. Is she the future of the Israeli Left?

Will Politics be on the Midterm? A "Code of Ethics" for college and university teachers is being advanced by the Minister of Education. It aims to keep teachers from talking politics in the classroom, but is being decried by the professoriate as an attack on democracy.

Babies for LGBTQ Folk? Nyet!Was Israel was wrong to acquiesce to Russia's diktat that babies adopted from there not got to LGBTQ folks?

]]>Noah, Don and Allison (joined by uber-researcher to the stars, Amit Ashkenazi) discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is the Man Israel Needs a Moroccan, Ultra-Orthodox Woman? The only female candidate to head the Labor Party is Dina Dayan, an ultra-Orthodox woman from the nether reaches of the Negev Desert. In a socko election ad, she attacked the party she aims to lead as racist and out-of-touch. Is she the future of the Israeli Left?

Will Politics be on the Midterm? A "Code of Ethics" for college and university teachers is being advanced by the Minister of Education. It aims to keep teachers from talking politics in the classroom, but is being decried by the professoriate as an attack on democracy.

Babies for LGBTQ Folk? Nyet!Was Israel was wrong to acquiesce to Russia's diktat that babies adopted from there not got to LGBTQ folks?

]]>01:06:23noThe "Waiting for Gadot" EditionThu, 08 Jun 2017 15:29:33 +0000Noah, Don and Allison discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Climate Change and the Jewish Question: We’ll Always Have Paris? We discuss whether climate change is a danger to Israel’s very existence, and whether America’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord is a blow to Israel’s security.

Anthologizing the Occupation? We mull over the new “Breaking the Silence” anthology of essays about the occupation, edited by Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman. What results might this politics-by-literature approach produce?

Waiting for Gadot We ask whether the widespread fascination with Wonder Woman Gal Gadot’s IDF past and Israeli identity reflects some strange and unnerving psycho-sexual fetishization of Israeli Jewesses and power (Did we go to graduate school, or what?).

]]>Noah, Don and Allison discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Climate Change and the Jewish Question: We’ll Always Have Paris? We discuss whether climate change is a danger to Israel’s very existence, and whether America’s withdrawal from the Paris Accord is a blow to Israel’s security.

Anthologizing the Occupation? We mull over the new “Breaking the Silence” anthology of essays about the occupation, edited by Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman. What results might this politics-by-literature approach produce?

Waiting for Gadot We ask whether the widespread fascination with Wonder Woman Gal Gadot’s IDF past and Israeli identity reflects some strange and unnerving psycho-sexual fetishization of Israeli Jewesses and power (Did we go to graduate school, or what?).

]]>01:00:20noThe "That War" EditionThu, 01 Jun 2017 14:40:52 +0000Noah, Don and Allison discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

That War

We discuss how we ought to regard the momentous Six Day War, the fiftieth anniversary of which we mark this week.

MK = Meager Kapabilities?

We mull over a survey raising questions about how effective Members of Knesset are.

]]>01:09:43noThe "Donald Does the Holy Land!" EditionThu, 25 May 2017 14:45:15 +0000Noah, Don and Times of Tel Aviv Review founder and co-host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Donald Does the Holy Land!

We discuss President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and what it augurs for peace in the region.

Road Trip!

We mull over Why the Zionist Union decided to take a road trip in the occupied territories, and why some of its most popular MKs boycotted the excursion.

If I Don’t Press Thee, O’ Jerusalem, or The Dress!

We ponder the “Jerusalem Dress” that Culture Minister Miri Regev wore on the Red Carpet in Cannes, and why it broke the internet (hint: misogyny may be partly to blame).

Music: Aya Zahavi-Feiglin, in honor of her new EP, America, that just dropped this week! Sport My Dog Eifoh ha-Zahav Februar

]]>Noah, Don and Times of Tel Aviv Review founder and co-host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Donald Does the Holy Land!

We discuss President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and what it augurs for peace in the region.

Road Trip!

We mull over Why the Zionist Union decided to take a road trip in the occupied territories, and why some of its most popular MKs boycotted the excursion.

If I Don’t Press Thee, O’ Jerusalem, or The Dress!

We ponder the “Jerusalem Dress” that Culture Minister Miri Regev wore on the Red Carpet in Cannes, and why it broke the internet (hint: misogyny may be partly to blame).

Music: Aya Zahavi-Feiglin, in honor of her new EP, America, that just dropped this week! Sport My Dog Eifoh ha-Zahav Februar

]]>01:00:10noThe "Eurovisionaries" EditionThu, 18 May 2017 14:23:58 +0000Noah, Don and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Breaking News: Ehud Barak Admits He’s Been Right All Along!

We discuss Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s book-review-cum-manifesto about why the Left is right and the Right is wrong.

Not that Conversion

We mull over icky and dangerous “conversion therapy” being offered by ultra-Orthodox therapists for men who wish to stop being attracted to other men.

Eurovisionaries

We ponder why Israelis are gaga over the cheesy, trashy, irresistible Eurovision song contest!

]]>01:02:09noThe "High Cost of God" EditionThu, 11 May 2017 14:47:39 +0000Noah, Don and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Palestinians and Peace in the Age of Trump

We discuss the quick and remarkable developments in Palestinian diplomacy, with Pres. Abbas coming away optimistic from his meeting with US President Trump, Hamas suggesting they’re ready for territorial compromise and, in the background, a thousand Palestinian prisoners continuing their hunger strike: What does it all mean?

The High Cost of God

We mull over a commissioned study finds that Israel spends almost 9 billion NIS a year on religion: Is that an outrageous sum, a reasonable sum, or something in between?

The Lasting Legacy of the Likud

We ponder on the fortieth anniversary of Menachem Begin and the Likud winning leadership of the country for the first time, what is the lasting legacy of the Likud?

Songs by Skin Blues, in honor of their show this week at Levontin 7, launching a new album after an 18-year breakup-spurred hiatus. Welcome back!

Faradasi (פארדסי)KeltishSheryl Crowe Down HillShe Jumps

]]>Noah, Don and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Palestinians and Peace in the Age of Trump

We discuss the quick and remarkable developments in Palestinian diplomacy, with Pres. Abbas coming away optimistic from his meeting with US President Trump, Hamas suggesting they’re ready for territorial compromise and, in the background, a thousand Palestinian prisoners continuing their hunger strike: What does it all mean?

The High Cost of God

We mull over a commissioned study finds that Israel spends almost 9 billion NIS a year on religion: Is that an outrageous sum, a reasonable sum, or something in between?

The Lasting Legacy of the Likud

We ponder on the fortieth anniversary of Menachem Begin and the Likud winning leadership of the country for the first time, what is the lasting legacy of the Likud?

Songs by Skin Blues, in honor of their show this week at Levontin 7, launching a new album after an 18-year breakup-spurred hiatus. Welcome back!

Faradasi (פארדסי)KeltishSheryl Crowe Down HillShe Jumps

]]>01:00:02noThe “IDF = In a Dither about Feminism?” EditionThu, 04 May 2017 11:11:25 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Labor’s Battle Royal

We discuss the nine (!) candidates to head the Labor Party: what kind of leader does the left need now, and what sort of platform should she or he advance?

Living Together and Apart

We mull over a poll finding that almost three quarters of Palestinian Israelis do not want Jews living in their neighborhoods, and more than two-thirds of Israeli Jews do not want Palestinians living in their neighborhoods. What’s this say about the possibility and wisdom of greater integration?

IDF = In a Dither about Feminism?

We ponder the IDF’s lamentable decision to cancel a workshop on feminist theory for top ranking female officers, on the grounds that feminism is political and divisive.

Songs by Segol 59 & Ami Yares, in tribute to the Grateful Dead, off The Promised Land: The Jerry Garcia Hebrew Project:

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Labor’s Battle Royal

We discuss the nine (!) candidates to head the Labor Party: what kind of leader does the left need now, and what sort of platform should she or he advance?

Living Together and Apart

We mull over a poll finding that almost three quarters of Palestinian Israelis do not want Jews living in their neighborhoods, and more than two-thirds of Israeli Jews do not want Palestinians living in their neighborhoods. What’s this say about the possibility and wisdom of greater integration?

IDF = In a Dither about Feminism?

We ponder the IDF’s lamentable decision to cancel a workshop on feminist theory for top ranking female officers, on the grounds that feminism is political and divisive.

Songs by Segol 59 & Ami Yares, in tribute to the Grateful Dead, off The Promised Land: The Jerry Garcia Hebrew Project:

Allison, Noah and Don observe Memorial Day and celebrate Independence Day by discussing three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Sorrow, Loss & Politics (13:58)

We discuss the complicated place of bereaved families in Israeli political discourse, where they are undisparagable disparagers.

69 Years (28:01)

We engage in a thought experiment about what two immigrants to Israel in 1948, a mother from Meknes and a survivor from Prague, would think about Israel today, if they could see it.

“And To the Glory of the State of Israel!” (41:36)

We ask who we would choose to light the traditional twelve torches marking the start of Independence Day and symbolizing what is best about this remarkable country.

Songs for Yom Haatzmaut!:

Zemer Nogah, performed by Shoshana Damari and Yoav YizhakShalom Lach Eretz Nehederet, performed by SheigitzHakhi Yisraeli, written and performed by Hatikvah 6Barukh ha-Ba le-Yisrael, written and performed by Sarit Hadad

Allison, Noah and Don observe Memorial Day and celebrate Independence Day by discussing three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Sorrow, Loss & Politics (13:58)

We discuss the complicated place of bereaved families in Israeli political discourse, where they are undisparagable disparagers.

69 Years (28:01)

We engage in a thought experiment about what two immigrants to Israel in 1948, a mother from Meknes and a survivor from Prague, would think about Israel today, if they could see it.

“And To the Glory of the State of Israel!” (41:36)

We ask who we would choose to light the traditional twelve torches marking the start of Independence Day and symbolizing what is best about this remarkable country.

Songs for Yom Haatzmaut!:

Zemer Nogah, performed by Shoshana Damari and Yoav YizhakShalom Lach Eretz Nehederet, performed by SheigitzHakhi Yisraeli, written and performed by Hatikvah 6Barukh ha-Ba le-Yisrael, written and performed by Sarit Hadad

]]>01:07:29noThe "The Times, They are Retracting" EditionThu, 20 Apr 2017 13:19:52 +0000This episode of The Promised Podcast is sponsored by:

]]>01:10:09noThe "Join the Love Train" EditionThu, 13 Apr 2017 11:41:23 +0000Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review co-host, political scientist and pollster Dahlia Scheindlin discussthree topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Peace Train

We discuss the Minister of Transportation’s ambitious plans to build a vast network of trains connecting Israel with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf States.

Ranking and Rating Representatives

We mull over an NGO’s “Social Index” ranking of Members of Knesset according to their social conscience – does it really advance socially-aware politics?

The Serious Politics of Funny

We ask whether or not political satire – which is enjoying a golden age – has any political impact at all.

]]>Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review co-host, political scientist and pollster Dahlia Scheindlin discussthree topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Peace Train

We discuss the Minister of Transportation’s ambitious plans to build a vast network of trains connecting Israel with Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf States.

Ranking and Rating Representatives

We mull over an NGO’s “Social Index” ranking of Members of Knesset according to their social conscience – does it really advance socially-aware politics?

The Serious Politics of Funny

We ask whether or not political satire – which is enjoying a golden age – has any political impact at all.

]]>01:03:52noThe "Still Leaving Egypt, After All these Years" EditionThu, 06 Apr 2017 13:58:02 +0000Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review co-host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Press, under Stress and Duress

We discuss the controversy over public broadcasting that just almost toppled the government.

A Settlement for the New Millennium

We mull over the cabinet’s decision to build the first new settlement of this millennium, hot on the heels of the Arab League’s affirmation of a two-state solution and U.S. President Trump’s dictate to refrain from building in the territories.

Still Leaving Egypt, After All these Years

We ask what might Passover, the most political of all holidays, tell us about how to seek our own modern-day redemption?

Music by Songs of Freedom by various and sundry, in celebration of Passover, the holiday of freedom!:

]]>Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review co-host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Press, under Stress and Duress

We discuss the controversy over public broadcasting that just almost toppled the government.

A Settlement for the New Millennium

We mull over the cabinet’s decision to build the first new settlement of this millennium, hot on the heels of the Arab League’s affirmation of a two-state solution and U.S. President Trump’s dictate to refrain from building in the territories.

Still Leaving Egypt, After All these Years

We ask what might Passover, the most political of all holidays, tell us about how to seek our own modern-day redemption?

Music by Songs of Freedom by various and sundry, in celebration of Passover, the holiday of freedom!:

]]>01:07:56noThe "BDS and the Rat Bastard Conundrum" EditionThu, 30 Mar 2017 14:40:26 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

BDS and the Rat Bastard Conundrum

We discuss how the right uses the left’s defense of the free-speech rights of BDS’ers as a cudgel and what, if anything, can be done about this.

Secrets of Israel’s High-Tech Boom, Revealed!

We mull over Minister of Education Naftali Bennett’s explanation in the Wall Street Journal of Israel’s high tech success: Why are we so damn good at start-ups?

What’s Wrong with Kiryat Gat? Why Do Sephardim Vote for the Right?

We ask why Mizrahim/Sephardim keep voting for the right.

Music by Nahum Silverman who just dropped a new record and put the 33 albums he’s recorded over the past 19 years on sale in a digital boxed set on Bandcamp!:

UlLe-EhovaiAchshav Ani MotekHeart of GoldLech ad ha-sof

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

BDS and the Rat Bastard Conundrum

We discuss how the right uses the left’s defense of the free-speech rights of BDS’ers as a cudgel and what, if anything, can be done about this.

Secrets of Israel’s High-Tech Boom, Revealed!

We mull over Minister of Education Naftali Bennett’s explanation in the Wall Street Journal of Israel’s high tech success: Why are we so damn good at start-ups?

What’s Wrong with Kiryat Gat? Why Do Sephardim Vote for the Right?

We ask why Mizrahim/Sephardim keep voting for the right.

Music by Nahum Silverman who just dropped a new record and put the 33 albums he’s recorded over the past 19 years on sale in a digital boxed set on Bandcamp!:

UlLe-EhovaiAchshav Ani MotekHeart of GoldLech ad ha-sof

]]>01:03:04noThe "People of the Book, Those Elitist F*cks!" EditionThu, 23 Mar 2017 15:10:26 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Primacy of Primaries

As elections are in the air, we ask: Should parties like liberal leftist Meretz chose their candidates through “open primaries,” or will that just rouse the rabble?

Does Feminism have Room for Zionism?: Reflections on l’Affaire de’Sarsou

We discuss whether or not there’s anything to the claim that, in 2017, feminism and Zionism don’t fit together as easily as we might hope.

The People of the Book, Those Elitist F*cks!

We mull over the proud admission of a right-wing MK that he hasn’t read a book in ten years, mofos, and whether anti-intellectualism is the new black.

Music by Katrix and Doron Biton:

UlaiChofshiahOhevet LirkodDavka Ito (with Sagi Beatbox)

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Primacy of Primaries

As elections are in the air, we ask: Should parties like liberal leftist Meretz chose their candidates through “open primaries,” or will that just rouse the rabble?

Does Feminism have Room for Zionism?: Reflections on l’Affaire de’Sarsou

We discuss whether or not there’s anything to the claim that, in 2017, feminism and Zionism don’t fit together as easily as we might hope.

The People of the Book, Those Elitist F*cks!

We mull over the proud admission of a right-wing MK that he hasn’t read a book in ten years, mofos, and whether anti-intellectualism is the new black.

Music by Katrix and Doron Biton:

UlaiChofshiahOhevet LirkodDavka Ito (with Sagi Beatbox)

]]>01:04:04noThe "God is a Feminist Issue!" EditionThu, 16 Mar 2017 13:37:30 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Right and Wrong

We discuss the debate over whether Israel should forge ties with far right leaders in Europe, now that they are growing in power and (mostly) denouncing antisemitism.

You Gotta Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive, E-Lim-inate the Negative!

We mull over an expensive new project led by a former Minister of Education and two former IDF Chiefs of Staff, aiming to overcome the divisions in Israeli society.

God is a Feminist Issue!

We deliberate about mind-blowing new research finding that the more religious a Jewish woman is, the better her body image is likely to be.

Music by Mo’adon ha-Ketzev shel Avihu Pinhasov:

Yamin YafimDvash MalchutMatzilah OtiNeshama, Kapara, Mammi

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Right and Wrong

We discuss the debate over whether Israel should forge ties with far right leaders in Europe, now that they are growing in power and (mostly) denouncing antisemitism.

You Gotta Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive, E-Lim-inate the Negative!

We mull over an expensive new project led by a former Minister of Education and two former IDF Chiefs of Staff, aiming to overcome the divisions in Israeli society.

God is a Feminist Issue!

We deliberate about mind-blowing new research finding that the more religious a Jewish woman is, the better her body image is likely to be.

Music by Mo’adon ha-Ketzev shel Avihu Pinhasov:

Yamin YafimDvash MalchutMatzilah OtiNeshama, Kapara, Mammi

]]>01:09:19noThe "Shriveling Settlements?" EditionThu, 09 Mar 2017 12:32:22 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Shriveling Settlements?

We discuss the shocking, but seemingly true, suggestion that the settlements are shrinking, not growing and failing, not succeeding.

The Shunning!

We mull over the Supreme Court’s sanction of the literally medieval punishment of “shunning” scumbags who refuse to grant their wives divorces.

Picturing a Jewish State

We ask what made David Rubinger’s famous photograph of paratroopers at the newly captured Wailing Wall “iconic”? Could there be such iconic photos today, or have we lost the social unity needed to all be moved by a single image?

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Shriveling Settlements?

We discuss the shocking, but seemingly true, suggestion that the settlements are shrinking, not growing and failing, not succeeding.

The Shunning!

We mull over the Supreme Court’s sanction of the literally medieval punishment of “shunning” scumbags who refuse to grant their wives divorces.

Picturing a Jewish State

We ask what made David Rubinger’s famous photograph of paratroopers at the newly captured Wailing Wall “iconic”? Could there be such iconic photos today, or have we lost the social unity needed to all be moved by a single image?

]]>01:03:39noThe "Peace in Just Ten Easy Steps!" EditionThu, 02 Mar 2017 13:58:22 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Courting Change

We discuss the four new Supreme Court Justices, and whether together they add up to a “conservative Judicial revolution.”

Peace in Just Ten Easy Steps!

We mull over Opposition Leader Yitzhak Herzog’s new “Ten Point Peace Plan,” that calls for a decade-long cooling off period before negotiations begin.

From Tots to Patriots

We deliberate about the continuing efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Jerusalem Municipality to turn city kindergarten tots into flag-waving patriots.

Music Amir ve-Ben, in gratitude for rocking the Tel Aviv Marathon!

Avodah Ba-EynayimBar be-YaffoHibbuk (with Avigail Koevary)Halamti

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Courting Change

We discuss the four new Supreme Court Justices, and whether together they add up to a “conservative Judicial revolution.”

Peace in Just Ten Easy Steps!

We mull over Opposition Leader Yitzhak Herzog’s new “Ten Point Peace Plan,” that calls for a decade-long cooling off period before negotiations begin.

From Tots to Patriots

We deliberate about the continuing efforts of the Ministry of Education and the Jerusalem Municipality to turn city kindergarten tots into flag-waving patriots.

Music Amir ve-Ben, in gratitude for rocking the Tel Aviv Marathon!

Avodah Ba-EynayimBar be-YaffoHibbuk (with Avigail Koevary)Halamti

]]>01:01:55no"The Least Anti-Semitic Podcast that You've Ever Heard in your Entire Life” EditionThu, 23 Feb 2017 13:57:01 +0000Allison, Noah and Don discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Eighteen Months

We discuss the sentence meted out to Alor Azaria, the combat medic who shot knife-assailant Adel Fattah al-Sharif dead while he lay prone; some are outraged he’s going to prison, others are outraged he’s going to prison for only a year and a half.

The Least Anti-Semitic Person You’ve Ever Seen & the Jewish Question

We mull over PM Netanyahu’s award of a “Jew Housekeeping Seal of Approval” to Pres. Trump, certifying him as antisemitism-free; was he just doing his job or was he derelicting his duty?

Wind-Down Nation?

A new report finding that Israel’s vaunted scientific talents are fading before our eyes. We ask, what can be done?

Music by Noa Eder:Beseder FlowersNemalimBo Iti

]]>Allison, Noah and Don discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Eighteen Months

We discuss the sentence meted out to Alor Azaria, the combat medic who shot knife-assailant Adel Fattah al-Sharif dead while he lay prone; some are outraged he’s going to prison, others are outraged he’s going to prison for only a year and a half.

The Least Anti-Semitic Person You’ve Ever Seen & the Jewish Question

We mull over PM Netanyahu’s award of a “Jew Housekeeping Seal of Approval” to Pres. Trump, certifying him as antisemitism-free; was he just doing his job or was he derelicting his duty?

Wind-Down Nation?

A new report finding that Israel’s vaunted scientific talents are fading before our eyes. We ask, what can be done?

Music by Noa Eder:Beseder FlowersNemalimBo Iti

]]>01:05:13noThe “Two States, One State, Whatever” EditionThu, 16 Feb 2017 14:15:56 +0000Allison, Noah and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Two States, One State, Whatever

We discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu’s meetings in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, and what the hell they mean for Israelis, Palestinians, American Jews and other living things.

Bitcoins, the Holocaust & Psoriasis: Israel’s New Lobbyists

We mull over the the 64% increase in the number of lobbyists in the Knesset in just the last year, and their impact on Israeli democracy.

Ultra-Ortholopolis The City of Tomorrow, Today!

A long-term policy of building new Ultra-Orthodox cities to solve the Haredi housing crisis has reversed; from now on, its neighborhoods in cities already on the map. We ask, is this good news?

Music by Ron and the Red Beans, in honor of their show on Saturday at The Container in Jaffa:C’est Si BonMardi Gras MamboMe, Myself and II Want to Be Like You

]]>Allison, Noah and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Two States, One State, Whatever

We discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu’s meetings in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump, and what the hell they mean for Israelis, Palestinians, American Jews and other living things.

Bitcoins, the Holocaust & Psoriasis: Israel’s New Lobbyists

We mull over the the 64% increase in the number of lobbyists in the Knesset in just the last year, and their impact on Israeli democracy.

Ultra-Ortholopolis The City of Tomorrow, Today!

A long-term policy of building new Ultra-Orthodox cities to solve the Haredi housing crisis has reversed; from now on, its neighborhoods in cities already on the map. We ask, is this good news?

Music by Ron and the Red Beans, in honor of their show on Saturday at The Container in Jaffa:C’est Si BonMardi Gras MamboMe, Myself and II Want to Be Like You

]]>01:05:08noThe "This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land" EditionThu, 09 Feb 2017 14:28:08 +0000Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review Host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

This Land Is Your Land, This Land is My Land (An Expropriation Meditation)

We discuss the bill approved by the Knesset this week that allows the expropriation of privately-owned land in the occupied territories, and the end-of-days public debate that ensued.

Playing with Fire

We mull over the firing of a rocket from Gaza towards a Jewish town and the pounding IDF response that was meant to be a warning but might nudge us to a war that nobody seems to want.

The Pious Floozies of the IDF

A viral cartoon aimed at persuading religious women to opt out of army service to avoid boredom, ennui and sexual harassment. Practically everyone attacked the cartoon’s producers. But we ask, do they sorta have a point kinda maybe?

Music by Static and Ben-El Tavori:ZahavKvish ha-HofSilsulimStahm

]]>Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review Host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

This Land Is Your Land, This Land is My Land (An Expropriation Meditation)

We discuss the bill approved by the Knesset this week that allows the expropriation of privately-owned land in the occupied territories, and the end-of-days public debate that ensued.

Playing with Fire

We mull over the firing of a rocket from Gaza towards a Jewish town and the pounding IDF response that was meant to be a warning but might nudge us to a war that nobody seems to want.

The Pious Floozies of the IDF

A viral cartoon aimed at persuading religious women to opt out of army service to avoid boredom, ennui and sexual harassment. Practically everyone attacked the cartoon’s producers. But we ask, do they sorta have a point kinda maybe?

Music by Static and Ben-El Tavori:ZahavKvish ha-HofSilsulimStahm

]]>01:07:19noThe "Alt-Zionism" EditionThu, 02 Feb 2017 14:52:27 +0000Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Alt-Zionism

We discuss White-Supremacist claims that their dreams of an “ethno-state” is “very similar to the idea of Zionism,” and why lots of folks on the right and the left seem to agree, leading us to wonder if it is time to slit our wrists.

Schools, Cool & Uncool: An Education Rumination

We mull over what should be done when parents band together to build their own school, with its own ideology, and then ask the taxpayers to foot the bill.

The curious incident of the weed vaped in the night-time

We ask whether the weird political coalition that supports decriminalization of pot hints that maybe we don’t really understand Israeli politics after all.

Music by Yair Levi, who just crowdfunded his first album, and these are the very first fruit!

]]>Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Alt-Zionism

We discuss White-Supremacist claims that their dreams of an “ethno-state” is “very similar to the idea of Zionism,” and why lots of folks on the right and the left seem to agree, leading us to wonder if it is time to slit our wrists.

Schools, Cool & Uncool: An Education Rumination

We mull over what should be done when parents band together to build their own school, with its own ideology, and then ask the taxpayers to foot the bill.

The curious incident of the weed vaped in the night-time

We ask whether the weird political coalition that supports decriminalization of pot hints that maybe we don’t really understand Israeli politics after all.

Music by Yair Levi, who just crowdfunded his first album, and these are the very first fruit!

]]>01:01:46noThe "Reports of our Death are Greatly Exaggerated" EditionThu, 26 Jan 2017 12:18:06 +0000Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Heart & Home

We discuss the tragic events at the Bedouin Village of Umm Al-Hiran, leaving two dead and dozens dispossessed of their homes.

“Reports of our Death are Greatly Exaggerated” (With apologies to Mark Twain)

We mull over the surprisingly growing popularity of Israel’s center left, and what it might mean if PM Netanyahu is forced to resign under accusations of corruption.

Crass Combat Couture

We ask about t-shirts printed up for fun by IDF soldiers displaying all sorts of sexist and bigoted images. Are these silk-screened sleazeries just harmless fun, or are they little cotton agents of patriarchy and racism?

All songs by Malca Baya (for a summer interlude in the dead of winter) Im At Ba-Inyan Chai Lo Be-Lahatz Kama Ham Stav

]]>Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Heart & Home

We discuss the tragic events at the Bedouin Village of Umm Al-Hiran, leaving two dead and dozens dispossessed of their homes.

“Reports of our Death are Greatly Exaggerated” (With apologies to Mark Twain)

We mull over the surprisingly growing popularity of Israel’s center left, and what it might mean if PM Netanyahu is forced to resign under accusations of corruption.

Crass Combat Couture

We ask about t-shirts printed up for fun by IDF soldiers displaying all sorts of sexist and bigoted images. Are these silk-screened sleazeries just harmless fun, or are they little cotton agents of patriarchy and racism?

All songs by Malca Baya (for a summer interlude in the dead of winter) Im At Ba-Inyan Chai Lo Be-Lahatz Kama Ham Stav

]]>01:01:06noThe "Champagne, Cubans & Bringing Bibi Down" EditionThu, 19 Jan 2017 13:26:59 +0000Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Cubans, Champaign and Bringing Bibi Down

We ask whether or not we should take to the streets to demand the resignation of PM Netanyahu, as evidence of influence peddling accumulates.

Should We Stop Worrying and Learn to Love Lieberman?

We mull over the strange fact that the strongest advocate of the Two-State Solution in the governing coalition is former hard-line Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman; but does he mean what we mean when he says “Two State Solution”?

]]>Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Cubans, Champaign and Bringing Bibi Down

We ask whether or not we should take to the streets to demand the resignation of PM Netanyahu, as evidence of influence peddling accumulates.

Should We Stop Worrying and Learn to Love Lieberman?

We mull over the strange fact that the strongest advocate of the Two-State Solution in the governing coalition is former hard-line Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman; but does he mean what we mean when he says “Two State Solution”?

]]>01:00:17noThe "Killer-Hero-Scapegoat" EditionThu, 12 Jan 2017 15:56:38 +0000Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Killer-Hero-Scapegoat?

We discuss the furor over the manslaughter conviction of Sgt. Elor Azaria, for shooting in the head a subdued stabber in Hebron.

TEDs

We mull over a new effort by settlers to present themselves in a more sophisticated way, using TED-ish talks.

Yiddishkeit, that Trojan Horse!

We ask whether or not the claim by an important intellectual, journalist and leftist political analyst that Israel’s left cannot win its political battles because it has conceded it's cultural battles to the right, has anything to it.

]]>Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Killer-Hero-Scapegoat?

We discuss the furor over the manslaughter conviction of Sgt. Elor Azaria, for shooting in the head a subdued stabber in Hebron.

TEDs

We mull over a new effort by settlers to present themselves in a more sophisticated way, using TED-ish talks.

Yiddishkeit, that Trojan Horse!

We ask whether or not the claim by an important intellectual, journalist and leftist political analyst that Israel’s left cannot win its political battles because it has conceded it's cultural battles to the right, has anything to it.

]]>01:04:54noPromised Podcast extra: Slate's Dahlia LithwickTue, 10 Jan 2017 16:17:29 +0000Allison Kaplan Sommer sits down for a conversation with decorated journalist Dahlia Lithwick about Trumpism, American Jewry's relationship to Israel, and Axe body spray.]]>Allison Kaplan Sommer sits down for a conversation with decorated journalist Dahlia Lithwick about Trumpism, American Jewry's relationship to Israel, and Axe body spray.]]>27:21noThe “Unsettling Cost of Unsettling” EditionThu, 05 Jan 2017 07:00:00 +0000Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Unsettling Cost of Unsettling

We discuss the Government’s decision to spend 130 million shekels to resettle 42 settler families from an illegal outpost.

If he wasn’t good, he wouldn’t be rich, right?

We mull over the recent entry of businessmen into Israeli politics (especially on the left) and their claim that only they can drain the swamp in Jerusalem.

Social Change? There’s an App for that Now

We ask whether or not a new app designed by an NGO to improve public transportation is a good way to bring about political change.

All songs by Yossi Elephant:

SusanYam Ha’ahavaRechov 60Helem Kerakh

]]>Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Unsettling Cost of Unsettling

We discuss the Government’s decision to spend 130 million shekels to resettle 42 settler families from an illegal outpost.

If he wasn’t good, he wouldn’t be rich, right?

We mull over the recent entry of businessmen into Israeli politics (especially on the left) and their claim that only they can drain the swamp in Jerusalem.

Social Change? There’s an App for that Now

We ask whether or not a new app designed by an NGO to improve public transportation is a good way to bring about political change.

All songs by Yossi Elephant:

SusanYam Ha’ahavaRechov 60Helem Kerakh

]]>01:00:11noThe “President Obama’s Parting Gift” EditionThu, 29 Dec 2016 08:27:48 +0000Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

And as a Parting Gift: UN Security Council Resolution 2334

We discuss UN Security Council Resolution 2334, calling Israeli settlements illegal, and America’s failure to scuttle it, and the righteous apoplexy of Israel’s official response.

The Donalds (Futterman and Trump) Agree: Jerusalem is the Eternal Capital of the Jewish People

We recount Don’s shocking assertion that he agrees with US President-Elect Donald Trump: the American Embassy should be moved to Jerusalem – are we in some sort of political bizzaro world?

We Dreamt We were Farmers

We mull over the government’s decision to prop up agriculture with tax payer shekels, and why we should grow stuff at home that is cheaper to import.

]]>01:02:01noThe “675 Kilometers North” EditionThu, 22 Dec 2016 13:10:55 +0000Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

675 Kilometers North

We mull over the human tragedy of Aleppo, and what Israelis are saying (or not saying) and doing (or not doing) about it.

You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your ambassador!

We ask how we should regard David Friedman, President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Israel, who supports the occupation, opposes a two-state solution, and has called leftists “worse than Kapos,” the poor saps forced to give a hand to the Nazis

Hem-Line Politics

We discuss the brouhaha, hullaballo and rumpus over Knesset guards denying entrance to Parliamentary aides whose dresses were judged too short; is this decorum or just a reduction ad absurdum of the patriarchy?

]]>Allison, Don & Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

675 Kilometers North

We mull over the human tragedy of Aleppo, and what Israelis are saying (or not saying) and doing (or not doing) about it.

You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your ambassador!

We ask how we should regard David Friedman, President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to Israel, who supports the occupation, opposes a two-state solution, and has called leftists “worse than Kapos,” the poor saps forced to give a hand to the Nazis

Hem-Line Politics

We discuss the brouhaha, hullaballo and rumpus over Knesset guards denying entrance to Parliamentary aides whose dresses were judged too short; is this decorum or just a reduction ad absurdum of the patriarchy?

]]>01:07:28noThe “Enemies of the State” EditionThu, 15 Dec 2016 14:18:56 +0000Allison, Noah & Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Lousy Leftists Lack Loyalty

We mull over a new poll finding that almost one in two Israeli Jews think that leftists are not loyal to Israel.

Tenured Traitors, or Professors of Perfidy

We discuss the Minister of Education’s appointment of an ethicist to write rules governing when and how professors talk politics in their college classrooms; is this censorship or civility?

Double-Crossing Double X, or The Unbearable Lightness of Cyber-Sexism and On-Line Assholery

We ask what explains the spleen and bile, vilely aimed at women, especially politicians, on the Hebrew Internet.

All songs by Eliad:Ma She-YeshMatok KshemarliLinshom, with Shimon Buskila

]]>Allison, Noah & Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Lousy Leftists Lack Loyalty

We mull over a new poll finding that almost one in two Israeli Jews think that leftists are not loyal to Israel.

Tenured Traitors, or Professors of Perfidy

We discuss the Minister of Education’s appointment of an ethicist to write rules governing when and how professors talk politics in their college classrooms; is this censorship or civility?

Double-Crossing Double X, or The Unbearable Lightness of Cyber-Sexism and On-Line Assholery

We ask what explains the spleen and bile, vilely aimed at women, especially politicians, on the Hebrew Internet.

All songs by Eliad:Ma She-YeshMatok KshemarliLinshom, with Shimon Buskila

]]>01:00:03noThe “Righteous Jews” EditionThu, 08 Dec 2016 15:00:00 +0000Allison, Noah & Tel Aviv Review Host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Cities of Sanctity, Cities of Sin

We discuss President Reuven Rivlin’s suggestion that each city, town or neighbourhood decide for themselves how much attention to pay to religion; Is it time to let Tel Aviv be Tel Aviv and Bnai Brak be Bnai Brak?

Righteous Jews

We mull over the scuffle between the Knesset and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum over whether to start lionizing “Righteous Jews” who saved folks during the Holocaust alongside “Righteous Gentiles.”

Aging Alone

We ask why so many Israeli old folks are lonely, and what we ought to do about it.

All songs by Mika Sade, off her new record, Birds and Guitars:Little ThingsBirthdayBirds and GuitarsWonderful Gifts

]]>Allison, Noah & Tel Aviv Review Host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Cities of Sanctity, Cities of Sin

We discuss President Reuven Rivlin’s suggestion that each city, town or neighbourhood decide for themselves how much attention to pay to religion; Is it time to let Tel Aviv be Tel Aviv and Bnai Brak be Bnai Brak?

Righteous Jews

We mull over the scuffle between the Knesset and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum over whether to start lionizing “Righteous Jews” who saved folks during the Holocaust alongside “Righteous Gentiles.”

Aging Alone

We ask why so many Israeli old folks are lonely, and what we ought to do about it.

All songs by Mika Sade, off her new record, Birds and Guitars:Little ThingsBirthdayBirds and GuitarsWonderful Gifts

]]>01:00:04noThe “Israel is Burning” EditionThu, 01 Dec 2016 13:00:00 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel is Burning

We discuss the befuddled responses of politicians and our own to the 630 fires that blazed throughout Israel last week, some of which may have been set by arsonists wishing Israel harm.

Our Identity Crisis

We ponder the most talked about post-mortem of the American election, which attributes the fall of the Democrats to “identity liberalism”; in Israel, the right seems to be employing identity politics and it ain’t working out so badly for them.

You, You, You Oughta Know: Awkward Adventures in Post-Modern Culture

We fret about Shefita, a popular Arab chanteuse and diva, who is a character created by a Jewish singer named Rotem Shefy; Is this homage? Cultural appropriation? 21st century blackface? Interdenominational drag? And is it okay or icky?

All songs by Shefita & Rotem Shefy:Pink, performed by ShefitaLithium, performed by ShefitaYou Oughta Know, performed by ShefitaAdif She-Lo, by Rotem Shefy

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel is Burning

We discuss the befuddled responses of politicians and our own to the 630 fires that blazed throughout Israel last week, some of which may have been set by arsonists wishing Israel harm.

Our Identity Crisis

We ponder the most talked about post-mortem of the American election, which attributes the fall of the Democrats to “identity liberalism”; in Israel, the right seems to be employing identity politics and it ain’t working out so badly for them.

You, You, You Oughta Know: Awkward Adventures in Post-Modern Culture

We fret about Shefita, a popular Arab chanteuse and diva, who is a character created by a Jewish singer named Rotem Shefy; Is this homage? Cultural appropriation? 21st century blackface? Interdenominational drag? And is it okay or icky?

All songs by Shefita & Rotem Shefy:Pink, performed by ShefitaLithium, performed by ShefitaYou Oughta Know, performed by ShefitaAdif She-Lo, by Rotem Shefy

]]>01:00:27noThe “Repealing Godwin’s Law” EditionThu, 24 Nov 2016 13:00:00 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Repealing Godwin’s Law: How Do We Know When That “Again” We Never Want to See Has Arrived?

We ask whether we owe it to our ancestors who were swallowed by the Holocaust to decry Trump, Bannon, et. al., as shoving us down the slippery slope into the territory of Never-Again, or whether we owe it to them to not besmirch their tragedy by comparing it to the world’s present political woes.

Rabbinic Baskets of Deplorables & Baskets of Rabbinic Deplorables

We reflect on how to respond to the most recent Rabbi on the government payroll to unleash inane bigotries in an interview, once we admit that the guy’s done some admirable things alongside this icky one.

Post-Mortem & Pre-Natal

We discuss our mixed feelings over the court’s decision to allow the parents of a dead naval officer to use his sperm and a surrogate to create a kid whom they will raise as their own child, though he would be their biological grandchild.

All songs by Tamir Grinberg:SomethingTelephone BluesI Was Made to Love HerTake a Look Around

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Repealing Godwin’s Law: How Do We Know When That “Again” We Never Want to See Has Arrived?

We ask whether we owe it to our ancestors who were swallowed by the Holocaust to decry Trump, Bannon, et. al., as shoving us down the slippery slope into the territory of Never-Again, or whether we owe it to them to not besmirch their tragedy by comparing it to the world’s present political woes.

Rabbinic Baskets of Deplorables & Baskets of Rabbinic Deplorables

We reflect on how to respond to the most recent Rabbi on the government payroll to unleash inane bigotries in an interview, once we admit that the guy’s done some admirable things alongside this icky one.

Post-Mortem & Pre-Natal

We discuss our mixed feelings over the court’s decision to allow the parents of a dead naval officer to use his sperm and a surrogate to create a kid whom they will raise as their own child, though he would be their biological grandchild.

All songs by Tamir Grinberg:SomethingTelephone BluesI Was Made to Love HerTake a Look Around

]]>01:00:04noThe “Citizens Disunited” EditionThu, 17 Nov 2016 13:46:39 +0000Allison, Noah and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Odeum and the Odium: Israel’s National Theater Live in the Settlements!

We discuss the controversy over Israel’s national theater company, Habima, performing in the most settlement-y of all the settlements, Kiryat Arba.

Citizens Disunited: Reflections on the Rejection of Election Collections

We reflect on a new law regulating how much Israeli NGOs can spend on election campaigns, like the failed, big “dump Netanyahu” campaign of the last election.

Gimme that ol’ time consumption!

We ask whether the rest of us have something to learn from the ways that stuff is advertised to the ultra-orthodox in Israel, which lack the employment of sex, longing and insecurity to make the sale.

All songs by Ha-Peel ha-Kachol (The Blue Elephant):24/7Ha-Kol YehiyehUgiotTiyul

]]>Allison, Noah and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Odeum and the Odium: Israel’s National Theater Live in the Settlements!

We discuss the controversy over Israel’s national theater company, Habima, performing in the most settlement-y of all the settlements, Kiryat Arba.

Citizens Disunited: Reflections on the Rejection of Election Collections

We reflect on a new law regulating how much Israeli NGOs can spend on election campaigns, like the failed, big “dump Netanyahu” campaign of the last election.

Gimme that ol’ time consumption!

We ask whether the rest of us have something to learn from the ways that stuff is advertised to the ultra-orthodox in Israel, which lack the employment of sex, longing and insecurity to make the sale.

All songs by Ha-Peel ha-Kachol (The Blue Elephant):24/7Ha-Kol YehiyehUgiotTiyul

]]>01:00:13noThe “Lessons of the Trumpocalypse” EditionThu, 10 Nov 2016 16:40:04 +0000Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Lessons of the Trumpocalypse

In what may be a historic first of an entire podcast episode recorded in fetal position, we wonder what we Israeli leftists can learn from the painful, frightening and massive defeat of the American left this week at the polls.

Rabin Rousing

We discuss politicization of the annual Rabin Memorial Demonstration, a new phenomenon, and ask what these politics mean.

Beat the Press

We try to understand PM Netanyahu’s invective-filled tirade on a respected Israeli investigative journalist. He impugned her motives, her talents, her integrity and her suitability for her job.

All songs by the Panic Ensemble:

Every Night

Spring in Your Heart

Flying

How Many Ways

]]>Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Lessons of the Trumpocalypse

In what may be a historic first of an entire podcast episode recorded in fetal position, we wonder what we Israeli leftists can learn from the painful, frightening and massive defeat of the American left this week at the polls.

Rabin Rousing

We discuss politicization of the annual Rabin Memorial Demonstration, a new phenomenon, and ask what these politics mean.

Beat the Press

We try to understand PM Netanyahu’s invective-filled tirade on a respected Israeli investigative journalist. He impugned her motives, her talents, her integrity and her suitability for her job.

All songs by the Panic Ensemble:

Every NightSpring in Your HeartFlyingHow Many Ways

]]>01:00:01noThe “Our Daughters, Ourselves” EditionThu, 03 Nov 2016 16:00:10 +0000Allison, Noah and Don discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Jailing for the "Hate Wedding"?

We ask whether the revelers at a settler wedding who were filmed waving guns, stabbing a picture of a murdered Palestinian baby, and singing incendiary songs should be prosecuted for their loathsome display, or instead simply subject to the court of public opinion. Too much political common ground?

We mull over a charge by a retired Labor Party leader to stop trying to find common ground with the right. What are the most effective levels of partisanship and partnership today?

Our daughters: The state of the patriarchy

We consider new research that found girls and women in Israel are better off than almost anywhere else in the world: What is the state of the patriarchy in Israel, 2016?

All songs by Gimzu Blues Band on their album Me’ever le-kav ha-eruv :

Halichot Mephuzarot

Em Sisra

A Sukhla a kleine

Ha-Balada al Rav Rahumi ve-Ishto

]]>Allison, Noah and Don discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Jailing for the "Hate Wedding"?

We ask whether the revelers at a settler wedding who were filmed waving guns, stabbing a picture of a murdered Palestinian baby, and singing incendiary songs should be prosecuted for their loathsome display, or instead simply subject to the court of public opinion. Too much political common ground?

We mull over a charge by a retired Labor Party leader to stop trying to find common ground with the right. What are the most effective levels of partisanship and partnership today?

Our daughters: The state of the patriarchy

We consider new research that found girls and women in Israel are better off than almost anywhere else in the world: What is the state of the patriarchy in Israel, 2016?

All songs by Gimzu Blues Band on their album Me’ever le-kav ha-eruv :

Halichot MephuzarotEm SisraA Sukhla a kleineHa-Balada al Rav Rahumi ve-Ishto ]]>01:00:01noThe "Women's Ways of Protest" EditionThu, 27 Oct 2016 11:44:21 +0000Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Saving us from ourselves?

We ponder with angst the decision of the director of human rights group B'Tselem to implore the UN Security Council to act forcefully against Israel, in order to bring about an end to the Occupation.

Women’s ways of protest

The Women Wage Peace organization just finished their spectacular two-week "March of Hope." We consider the notion, put forth by some of the leaders of the march, that women seek peace in ways likely to be more effective than men.

On the internet, everyone knows you’re a d*ck!

Why did so many Israelis "unfriend" compatriots on Facebook during the 2014 Gaza War? A new study attempts to answer this by claiming that the social network forces us to present our authentic selves on line, letting folks know we hold views they find abhorrent.

All songs by Deaf Chonky:

Social SecurityGozalimShirley

Kontrol

]]>Allison, Noah and Tel Aviv Review host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Saving us from ourselves?

We ponder with angst the decision of the director of human rights group B'Tselem to implore the UN Security Council to act forcefully against Israel, in order to bring about an end to the Occupation.

Women’s ways of protest

The Women Wage Peace organization just finished their spectacular two-week "March of Hope." We consider the notion, put forth by some of the leaders of the march, that women seek peace in ways likely to be more effective than men.

On the internet, everyone knows you’re a d*ck!

Why did so many Israelis "unfriend" compatriots on Facebook during the 2014 Gaza War? A new study attempts to answer this by claiming that the social network forces us to present our authentic selves on line, letting folks know we hold views they find abhorrent.

All songs by Deaf Chonky:

Social SecurityGozalimShirleyKontrol ]]>01:00:01no"The Elusive Dream of Nuance" EditionThu, 20 Oct 2016 14:19:36 +0000Allison, Noah and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

You say, “Al Aqsa,” I say, “The Temple”

Wonder what to make of the recent resolution by UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – chastising Israel for its treatment of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, while ignoring Jewish affinities to the same sites? We deliberate.

BDS and the Dream of Nuance

A major new initiative “Israel and the Academy” aims to help folks think about Israel “in a much more nuanced way” than the BDS wars presently allow. But is the lovely dream of nuance too naive an ambition to truly attain?

The Museum of Jewish Awesomeness

We ponder the fact that $30 million dollars have already been raised (of an eventual $450 million) to build a Frank Gehry “World’s Jewish Museum” in Tel Aviv dedicated to the Einsteins, the Spielbergs, the Streisands and the Dylans. Is this the kind of museum we want and need at this fraught moment in our history?

All songs by Ha-Pussy shelLucy:

Ghetto

Lech Lecha

Le-Heros et ha-Knesset

Rak Lo Etzleinu Ba-Shechunah

]]>Allison, Noah and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

You say, “Al Aqsa,” I say, “The Temple”

Wonder what to make of the recent resolution by UNESCO – the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – chastising Israel for its treatment of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, while ignoring Jewish affinities to the same sites? We deliberate.

BDS and the Dream of Nuance

A major new initiative “Israel and the Academy” aims to help folks think about Israel “in a much more nuanced way” than the BDS wars presently allow. But is the lovely dream of nuance too naive an ambition to truly attain?

The Museum of Jewish Awesomeness

We ponder the fact that $30 million dollars have already been raised (of an eventual $450 million) to build a Frank Gehry “World’s Jewish Museum” in Tel Aviv dedicated to the Einsteins, the Spielbergs, the Streisands and the Dylans. Is this the kind of museum we want and need at this fraught moment in our history?

All songs by Ha-Pussy shelLucy:

GhettoLech LechaLe-Heros et ha-KnessetRak Lo Etzleinu Ba-Shechunah ]]>01:00:01no"The Triumphs of Benjamin Netanyahu" EditionThu, 13 Oct 2016 13:12:29 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Triumphs of Benjamin Netanyahu

A recent essay asserted that PM Netanyahu’s foreign policy has been much more successful than most Israelis realize, and that Bibi has guided Israel with a sure hand in tumultuous times. Could the Israeli Left be wrong about Bibi?

Barack Obama's Zionist Idea

A vision worth adopting? We discuss whether exiting US President Barak Obama is, as one journalist recently suggested, “the most impressive exponent of liberal Zionism today.”

The 'G' Word

Haaretz polled Knesset members, asking whether or not each of the 120 lawmakers believes in God. The results differed from a similar survey taken in 1996, but not how you might expect.

All songs by Michelle Rosen:

Give it to the BeatIn the SunMy BoyLove We Shall Find

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The Triumphs of Benjamin Netanyahu

A recent essay asserted that PM Netanyahu’s foreign policy has been much more successful than most Israelis realize, and that Bibi has guided Israel with a sure hand in tumultuous times. Could the Israeli Left be wrong about Bibi?

Barack Obama's Zionist Idea

A vision worth adopting? We discuss whether exiting US President Barak Obama is, as one journalist recently suggested, “the most impressive exponent of liberal Zionism today.”

The 'G' Word

Haaretz polled Knesset members, asking whether or not each of the 120 lawmakers believes in God. The results differed from a similar survey taken in 1996, but not how you might expect.

All songs by Michelle Rosen:

Give it to the BeatIn the SunMy BoyLove We Shall Find

]]>01:00:01noThe "Show Me a Dreamer - The Legacy of Shimon Peres" EditionThu, 06 Oct 2016 13:15:46 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Show me a dreamer: The legacy of Shimon Peres, z”l

We ponder the complicated legacy of Prime Minister and President Shimon Peres - for the country and, especially, for the left.

Not being there

The head of the Arab Joint List in the Knesset, Ayman Odeh, didn't attend Shimon Peres' funeral. What statement was he making and what do we learn from it?

For the sins

Every year on Yom Kippur, Jews chant the "Al Heyt" prayer, a list of sins we've committed over the previous year. We search our souls and discuss what our sins were - as Israelis and leftists - over the past year.

All songs by supergroup Armon:

Kayitz Ham Halom Bi At Be-Tokh Kuftzah

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Show me a dreamer: The legacy of Shimon Peres, z”l

We ponder the complicated legacy of Prime Minister and President Shimon Peres - for the country and, especially, for the left.

Not being there

The head of the Arab Joint List in the Knesset, Ayman Odeh, didn't attend Shimon Peres' funeral. What statement was he making and what do we learn from it?

For the sins

Every year on Yom Kippur, Jews chant the "Al Heyt" prayer, a list of sins we've committed over the previous year. We search our souls and discuss what our sins were - as Israelis and leftists - over the past year.

All songs by supergroup Armon:

Kayitz Ham Halom Bi At Be-Tokh Kuftzah

]]>01:00:03no"The Year that Was" EditionThu, 29 Sep 2016 13:22:32 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Netanyahu to the UN: “You like us! You really like us!”

In his startling speech at the UN, Prime Minister Netanyahu argued that the nations of the world really love us, even if they haven’t noticed yet. Might he have a point?

Shuttling Hassids for free!

Some Knesset members have cried foul over the government's decision to provide VIP services to Hassids travelling to the Ukraine to be with a beloved rabbi who sadly died in 1810. Is this the kind of culture the Jewish state should be supporting?

The year that was

As we approach Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year: What were the most important things that happened in Israel over the last year, or the things that we overlooked?

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Netanyahu to the UN: “You like us! You really like us!”

In his startling speech at the UN, Prime Minister Netanyahu argued that the nations of the world really love us, even if they haven’t noticed yet. Might he have a point?

Shuttling Hassids for free!

Some Knesset members have cried foul over the government's decision to provide VIP services to Hassids travelling to the Ukraine to be with a beloved rabbi who sadly died in 1810. Is this the kind of culture the Jewish state should be supporting?

The year that was

As we approach Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year: What were the most important things that happened in Israel over the last year, or the things that we overlooked?

]]>01:00:04noThe "38 Billion Bucks" EditionThu, 22 Sep 2016 13:33:07 +0000Don, Noah and journalist-extraordinaire Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

38 billion bucks

A $38 billion, ten-year military aid agreement has just been reached by Israel and the US. We discuss whether or not, in the long run, it makes Israel stronger - does more money really buy more security?

Ehud Barak 2.0

Mysterious billboards have started appearing in Israel, prodding former Prime Minister Ehud Barak to run again. He ruined the labor party and wrecked the Left, but is he now the best hope we've got?

Homogenizing Israelis for justice!

Should government economic reports slice and dice people by their ethnic identity, or should they just focus on salaries and spending? If the gears of capitalism are greased by the blood of the workers, does it matter whether those workers have Moroccan, Ethiopian or French backgrounds?

All songs by Adir L.C., mostly off his newest album Oceanside Cities:

Dinosaur Hung Over Same Big Ring Buyer’s Instinct

]]>Don, Noah and journalist-extraordinaire Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

38 billion bucks

A $38 billion, ten-year military aid agreement has just been reached by Israel and the US. We discuss whether or not, in the long run, it makes Israel stronger - does more money really buy more security?

Ehud Barak 2.0

Mysterious billboards have started appearing in Israel, prodding former Prime Minister Ehud Barak to run again. He ruined the labor party and wrecked the Left, but is he now the best hope we've got?

Homogenizing Israelis for justice!

Should government economic reports slice and dice people by their ethnic identity, or should they just focus on salaries and spending? If the gears of capitalism are greased by the blood of the workers, does it matter whether those workers have Moroccan, Ethiopian or French backgrounds?

All songs by Adir L.C., mostly off his newest album Oceanside Cities:

Dinosaur Hung Over Same Big Ring Buyer’s Instinct

]]>01:00:01noThe "Judenrein Palestine? Nein!" EditionThu, 15 Sep 2016 14:40:09 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Judenrein Palestine? Nein!

PM Netanyahu released a YouTube video claiming that Palestinians advocate the "ethnic cleansing" of Jewish settlers as a precondition of peace negotiations: It’s nutty diplomacy, but might he have a point about the position of settlers in a future Palestinian state?

Derailed

PM Netanyahu's compromise with the ultra-Orthodox over controversial railway maintenance on Shabbat angered many in the Opposition, who claimed the PM had been railroaded, and that his policy is on the wrong track and a potential train wreck.

On the internet, everybody thinks you’re a dog!

We discuss scholarly suggestions that internet discourse in Israel is so mean because so many Israelis yearn to stick it to the leftist "lame-stream" media. But are Israelis really more mean on the internet than folks from other places?

All songs by The Energya Psychotronics:

She’s My Sister Insincerely Yours Valerie-Ann My Imagination

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Judenrein Palestine? Nein!

PM Netanyahu released a YouTube video claiming that Palestinians advocate the "ethnic cleansing" of Jewish settlers as a precondition of peace negotiations: It’s nutty diplomacy, but might he have a point about the position of settlers in a future Palestinian state?

Derailed

PM Netanyahu's compromise with the ultra-Orthodox over controversial railway maintenance on Shabbat angered many in the Opposition, who claimed the PM had been railroaded, and that his policy is on the wrong track and a potential train wreck.

On the internet, everybody thinks you’re a dog!

We discuss scholarly suggestions that internet discourse in Israel is so mean because so many Israelis yearn to stick it to the leftist "lame-stream" media. But are Israelis really more mean on the internet than folks from other places?

All songs by The Energya Psychotronics:

She’s My Sister Insincerely Yours Valerie-Ann My Imagination

]]>01:00:05no"The Right to Bare Midriffs" EditionThu, 01 Sep 2016 14:59:22 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Left behind?

New polls show the Israeli left crashing and burning. What accounts for this recent slide in support, and what should the traditional Left be doing about it?

From Zion shall come what?

The Israeli state is funding organizations that strengthen Jewish identity on US campuses, and most of the money is going to Orthodox organizations. Should Israel be funding Jewish culture in the diaspora, and should it be doing so in this way?

The right to bare midriffs

A singer was booted off stage at a (publicly-funded) beach-side music festival because she wore a bikini top. Is sensitivity to delicate religious sensibilities going too far?

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Left behind?

New polls show the Israeli left crashing and burning. What accounts for this recent slide in support, and what should the traditional Left be doing about it?

From Zion shall come what?

The Israeli state is funding organizations that strengthen Jewish identity on US campuses, and most of the money is going to Orthodox organizations. Should Israel be funding Jewish culture in the diaspora, and should it be doing so in this way?

The right to bare midriffs

A singer was booted off stage at a (publicly-funded) beach-side music festival because she wore a bikini top. Is sensitivity to delicate religious sensibilities going too far?

]]>01:00:01noThe "Zionist Dreams & Nightmares" EditionThu, 25 Aug 2016 08:00:00 +0000Noah, author and professor Alon Tal, and legendary tour guide William Slott discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Too many Israelis?

We discuss Tal's important, new book The Land is Full, claiming that we need fewer Israelis, not more, and that government policy ought to be changed to stem Aliyah and lower our birthrate.

Moral guides

An essay in the Times of Israel asserts that it is "immoral" to visit the City of David tourist site, which is located in East Jerusalem (Occupied Palestinian Territory). We discuss the morality of archaeology.

Our lives: A late-interim review

The three panelists discuss whether or not they made a huge existential mistake in moving to Israel, as they decided to do together, when kids in a Zionist youth movement.

All songs by Darling Angels:

Something For Your Pain Life Isn’t A Fair Game I Got A Woman, And She Loves Me Mad By The Light Of The Moon

]]>Noah, author and professor Alon Tal, and legendary tour guide William Slott discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Too many Israelis?

We discuss Tal's important, new book The Land is Full, claiming that we need fewer Israelis, not more, and that government policy ought to be changed to stem Aliyah and lower our birthrate.

Moral guides

An essay in the Times of Israel asserts that it is "immoral" to visit the City of David tourist site, which is located in East Jerusalem (Occupied Palestinian Territory). We discuss the morality of archaeology.

Our lives: A late-interim review

The three panelists discuss whether or not they made a huge existential mistake in moving to Israel, as they decided to do together, when kids in a Zionist youth movement.

All songs by Darling Angels:

Something For Your Pain Life Isn’t A Fair Game I Got A Woman, And She Loves Me Mad By The Light Of The Moon

]]>01:00:02noThe "Mo' Better Babies" EditionThu, 18 Aug 2016 11:52:27 +0000Noah, TLV1’s Gilad Halpern and The Forward’s Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Ordination is the new B.A.

Israel's Minister of Interior Aryeh Deri, of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, has issued a ministerial executive order to count advanced Yeshiva education and Rabbinic ordination as equal to a university degree, for applicants to government jobs.

Fear, loathing and Ha'aretz

Stalwart, liberal Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz receives constant, vicious criticism from right and left. Why does the paper cheese off so many?

Mo' better babies

Israelis are the most prolific users of prenatal genetic testing. Why are we so eager to have only "perfect" babies?

]]>Noah, TLV1’s Gilad Halpern and The Forward’s Naomi Zeveloff discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Ordination is the new B.A.

Israel's Minister of Interior Aryeh Deri, of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, has issued a ministerial executive order to count advanced Yeshiva education and Rabbinic ordination as equal to a university degree, for applicants to government jobs.

Fear, loathing and Ha'aretz

Stalwart, liberal Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz receives constant, vicious criticism from right and left. Why does the paper cheese off so many?

Mo' better babies

Israelis are the most prolific users of prenatal genetic testing. Why are we so eager to have only "perfect" babies?

]]>01:00:02noThe "Lapdogs of Democracy" EditionThu, 11 Aug 2016 13:43:35 +0000Noah, TLV1’s Gilad Halpern and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Lapdogs of democracy

We discuss the uncertain future of the new Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation, and the uncertain future of freedom of the press in Israel. What sort of a press does a country like Israel need?

On the matter of Black Lives Matter

The new Movement for Black Lives platform describes Israel as a perpetrator of “genocide” against Palestinians. We discuss the depression that engulfed us after we read it, and how we should navigate this murky water.

So sorry for gassing grandma!

Should Israel continue to buy gas masks from the same German company that made gas masks for the SS soldiers manning the crematoria at Auschwitz? Oy!

All songs by Noga Erez, in honor of her appearance at the Olympics!

Worth None (with Efrat Ben Tzur) Where Did You Sleep Last Night Weapons After

]]>Noah, TLV1’s Gilad Halpern and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Lapdogs of democracy

We discuss the uncertain future of the new Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation, and the uncertain future of freedom of the press in Israel. What sort of a press does a country like Israel need?

On the matter of Black Lives Matter

The new Movement for Black Lives platform describes Israel as a perpetrator of “genocide” against Palestinians. We discuss the depression that engulfed us after we read it, and how we should navigate this murky water.

So sorry for gassing grandma!

Should Israel continue to buy gas masks from the same German company that made gas masks for the SS soldiers manning the crematoria at Auschwitz? Oy!

All songs by Noga Erez, in honor of her appearance at the Olympics!

Worth None (with Efrat Ben Tzur) Where Did You Sleep Last Night Weapons After

]]>01:00:02noThe "Body-Politic Dysmorphia" EditionThu, 04 Aug 2016 13:55:01 +0000Noah, TLV1’s Gilad Halpern and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

IDF to Knesset: Shut up already!

"We shall keep the rabbis in their synagogues and the generals in their barracks," Herzl wrote in 1896. Now, 120 years later, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot is telling Israel's politicians to shut the f*ck up already.

Ritual hypocrites

American passport-holding Knesset Members who love Conservative and Reform Judaism have been voting against it, most recently passing a bill outlawing use of state ritual baths (mikvehs) by non-Orthodox converts. Does this make them hypocrites?

Body-politic dysmorphia

We discuss whether Israelis have body-politic dysmorphia, causing us to think that we’re a whole lot bigger and more important than we really are.

All songs by Talevi:

Mah Shaveh Haagid Kedai She-Teheyeh Meushar Nylon Sofshavua

]]>Noah, TLV1’s Gilad Halpern and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

IDF to Knesset: Shut up already!

"We shall keep the rabbis in their synagogues and the generals in their barracks," Herzl wrote in 1896. Now, 120 years later, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot is telling Israel's politicians to shut the f*ck up already.

Ritual hypocrites

American passport-holding Knesset Members who love Conservative and Reform Judaism have been voting against it, most recently passing a bill outlawing use of state ritual baths (mikvehs) by non-Orthodox converts. Does this make them hypocrites?

Body-politic dysmorphia

We discuss whether Israelis have body-politic dysmorphia, causing us to think that we’re a whole lot bigger and more important than we really are.

All songs by Talevi:

Mah Shaveh Haagid Kedai She-Teheyeh Meushar Nylon Sofshavua

]]>01:00:02noThe "Going, Going, Gone" EditionThu, 28 Jul 2016 15:39:37 +0000Don, Noah and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Expelled

We discuss Israel's new "Impeachment Law," passed by Knesset members to allow Knesset members to prevent Knesset members from remaining Knesset members.

Leaving the Left

A slew of prominent and thoughtful folks, including former leftist Knesset members, have said "goodbye to all that" and left the Left. These recent defections are causing us to ask, "Is it something we said"?

The moral economy of the IDF

Do we, as two cool Mizrahit feminists say, send Mizrahim to do the IDF's morally ugly work, and then hate them for it?

]]>Don, Noah and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Expelled

We discuss Israel's new "Impeachment Law," passed by Knesset members to allow Knesset members to prevent Knesset members from remaining Knesset members.

Leaving the Left

A slew of prominent and thoughtful folks, including former leftist Knesset members, have said "goodbye to all that" and left the Left. These recent defections are causing us to ask, "Is it something we said"?

The moral economy of the IDF

Do we, as two cool Mizrahit feminists say, send Mizrahim to do the IDF's morally ugly work, and then hate them for it?

]]>01:00:02noThe "Officer and a Chauvinist" EditionThu, 21 Jul 2016 15:28:50 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Who killed social justice?

Did the 2011 “social protests” – which began five years ago this week – leave any real mark on the country? If not, who is to blame?

An officer and a chauvinist

The new Chief Rabbi of the IDF and a rabbi who runs an army preparatory school own up to some Neanderthal opinions about women and LGBTQ folks. How do men of loathsome views find purchase in the army?

The art of politics

The president of a Tel Aviv area design college banned a student painting because it contained a nude rendering of Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked: Censorship or just good feminist values?

All songs by Ha-Tavlinim:

Ba Li Rosh Ba-Kir Ba-Tahanah Nimas Li Mimekh

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Who killed social justice?

Did the 2011 “social protests” – which began five years ago this week – leave any real mark on the country? If not, who is to blame?

An officer and a chauvinist

The new Chief Rabbi of the IDF and a rabbi who runs an army preparatory school own up to some Neanderthal opinions about women and LGBTQ folks. How do men of loathsome views find purchase in the army?

The art of politics

The president of a Tel Aviv area design college banned a student painting because it contained a nude rendering of Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked: Censorship or just good feminist values?

All songs by Ha-Tavlinim:

Ba Li Rosh Ba-Kir Ba-Tahanah Nimas Li Mimekh

]]>01:00:01noThe Collaboration, Reparation & Menstruation DeliberationThu, 14 Jul 2016 13:47:51 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Into Africa

PM Netanyahu recently visited Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. Is this part of a "periphery strategy" that aims to build relationships with the under-democratic developing world, as ties to Europe and the US seem to be deteriorating?

Education Reparation?

We discuss the much-anticipated recommendations of a government committee charged with repairing discrimination against Sephardi/Mizrahi Jewish heritage in Israel’s education system.

Your kid’s childhood, sponsored by Proctor & Gamble

Proctor & Gamble built air-conditioned bathrooms for girls in Israeli summer camps, with flat screens playing loops of tampon ads. Is commercializing sleep-away camp a crime against wholesomeness itself, or just good sense?

All songs by The Aprons:

Day Off This Time The Second Time Firefly

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Into Africa

PM Netanyahu recently visited Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. Is this part of a "periphery strategy" that aims to build relationships with the under-democratic developing world, as ties to Europe and the US seem to be deteriorating?

Education Reparation?

We discuss the much-anticipated recommendations of a government committee charged with repairing discrimination against Sephardi/Mizrahi Jewish heritage in Israel’s education system.

Your kid’s childhood, sponsored by Proctor & Gamble

Proctor & Gamble built air-conditioned bathrooms for girls in Israeli summer camps, with flat screens playing loops of tampon ads. Is commercializing sleep-away camp a crime against wholesomeness itself, or just good sense?

All songs by The Aprons:

Day Off This Time The Second Time Firefly

]]>01:00:01noThe "Deprizing, Despising & Deriding the Left?" EditionThu, 07 Jul 2016 13:43:04 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Kids in beds

How can we understand the failure of Palestinian leaders to condemn the brutal murder of a 13-year-old Jewish girl in her bed?

Is deprizing the Left despising the Left?

Ben-Gurion University president Rivka Carmi stripped human rights NGO Breaking the Silence of a prize it had been offered by the university. Does this simply reflect pusillanimous wussiness?

Jew of silence?

We ask whether or not there is room for criticism of Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel for failing to embrace Palestinians, even as he is being laid in his grave.

All songs by Hank & Cupcakes off their brand new record, Cheap Thrill:

Old And New Telephone Line A Thousand Times Ice Machine

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Kids in beds

How can we understand the failure of Palestinian leaders to condemn the brutal murder of a 13-year-old Jewish girl in her bed?

Is deprizing the Left despising the Left?

Ben-Gurion University president Rivka Carmi stripped human rights NGO Breaking the Silence of a prize it had been offered by the university. Does this simply reflect pusillanimous wussiness?

Jew of silence?

We ask whether or not there is room for criticism of Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel for failing to embrace Palestinians, even as he is being laid in his grave.

All songs by Hank & Cupcakes off their brand new record, Cheap Thrill:

Old And New Telephone Line A Thousand Times Ice Machine

]]>01:00:03noThe "Making and Unmaking History" EditionThu, 30 Jun 2016 13:53:16 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Brexit and the Jewish Question

We discuss the various lessons Israelis are drawing for our own politics and our own futures from the Brexit vote (because, in the end, isn’t everything really about us?).

The forefathers are your fathers

Why do secular Israelis feel little for the country’s founding fathers (who were all secular), while religious Israelis feel growing identification with the founding fathers (who rather despised religious folk)?

Entebbe, then and now

On the fortieth anniversary of the miraculous Entebbe rescue, as the children who were then hostages are now grandparents, what enduring imprint did this stunning event leave on the country?

All songs by Jerusalem’s Nati Hassid, off his moving album, "Ze Ma Yesh":

]]>01:00:01noThe "Rage!" EditionThu, 23 Jun 2016 16:23:38 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

I think I’m turning Haredi!

Although a great many people fear that our schools, army, courts, and public square are undergoing an inexorable process of "religification," do the facts on the ground really justify these fears? And if not, where does this fear come from?

Bureaucrats!

A new poll finds that Israelis think their civil service sucks, melding inefficiency with corruption and nepotism. In fact, by European standards, Israel’s bureaucracy ain’t so bad. So what accounts for the discrepancy?

Rage!

A personal essay in +972 Magazine called "When your own Jewish father calls you a Nazi" recounts how a friendly father-daughter lunch meeting turned nasty. Does the acrimony of the street now reach hearth and home?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

I think I’m turning Haredi!

Although a great many people fear that our schools, army, courts, and public square are undergoing an inexorable process of "religification," do the facts on the ground really justify these fears? And if not, where does this fear come from?

Bureaucrats!

A new poll finds that Israelis think their civil service sucks, melding inefficiency with corruption and nepotism. In fact, by European standards, Israel’s bureaucracy ain’t so bad. So what accounts for the discrepancy?

Rage!

A personal essay in +972 Magazine called "When your own Jewish father calls you a Nazi" recounts how a friendly father-daughter lunch meeting turned nasty. Does the acrimony of the street now reach hearth and home?

]]>01:00:02noThe Terrorists in Tel Aviv? A pleasure! EditionThu, 16 Jun 2016 15:42:48 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Terrorists in Tel Aviv? A pleasure!

We discuss reactions to last week’s heartbreaking terrorist murders at Tel Aviv's Sarona Market. Why were some people here inspired to write on social media such bons mots as “So long as it’s in Tel Aviv: A pleasure”?

Anyone but Bibi?

We discuss whether intensely personal animus against Prime Minister Netanyahu hasn’t gotten the best of the Israeli left, leaving our politics in a shambles.

Art. What Is It Good For? Absolutely Nothing!

In a recent interview, David Tartakover, who has for decades been the unofficial graphic designer of the Israeli Left, seemed pretty bummed out about the lack of impact his art has had on Israeli society. Should we give up on political art?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Terrorists in Tel Aviv? A pleasure!

We discuss reactions to last week’s heartbreaking terrorist murders at Tel Aviv's Sarona Market. Why were some people here inspired to write on social media such bons mots as “So long as it’s in Tel Aviv: A pleasure”?

Anyone but Bibi?

We discuss whether intensely personal animus against Prime Minister Netanyahu hasn’t gotten the best of the Israeli left, leaving our politics in a shambles.

Art. What Is It Good For? Absolutely Nothing!

In a recent interview, David Tartakover, who has for decades been the unofficial graphic designer of the Israeli Left, seemed pretty bummed out about the lack of impact his art has had on Israeli society. Should we give up on political art?

]]>01:00:02noThe "Peace in Paris or Conciliation in Cairo?" EditionThu, 09 Jun 2016 14:22:32 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Peace in Paris or conciliation in Cairo?

We discuss the weird-ass peace retreat in Paris, without Israelis or Palestinians, and the Egyptian-Saudi peace initiative: So much peace-talk, so little time?

Tots & moms & fallacies of feminism

There is a controversial push to repeal a 54-year-old law that places tots with moms in divorce cases. We discuss the split among feminists about whether, in a sexist society, sometimes a sexist law is a necessary evil.

The Good (for-what-exactly?) Book

In honor of Shavuot, the holiday that marks the giving of Torah at Sinai, we discuss whether Holy Writ should play any role in Israel’s public sphere, and if so, what that role should be.

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Peace in Paris or conciliation in Cairo?

We discuss the weird-ass peace retreat in Paris, without Israelis or Palestinians, and the Egyptian-Saudi peace initiative: So much peace-talk, so little time?

Tots & moms & fallacies of feminism

There is a controversial push to repeal a 54-year-old law that places tots with moms in divorce cases. We discuss the split among feminists about whether, in a sexist society, sometimes a sexist law is a necessary evil.

The Good (for-what-exactly?) Book

In honor of Shavuot, the holiday that marks the giving of Torah at Sinai, we discuss whether Holy Writ should play any role in Israel’s public sphere, and if so, what that role should be.

]]>01:00:05no"The Other F-Word" EditionThu, 02 Jun 2016 13:51:07 +0000Allison, Noah, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

IDF = “It Don't Fucking-Matter”?

We discuss human rights group B’Tselem’s decision to stop telling IDF lawyers about crimes committed by soldiers because the army doesn’t give a shit and doesn’t do shit about these crimes.

The Other F-Word

There's a new trend on the left of using the word "fascist" to describe the direction in which our government is traveling. We discuss this mainstreaming of the "F-Word," which is becoming as much a part of the Tel Aviv lexicon as "Sababa."

Who are you to lower the rent?

The Ministry of Housing seems to be moving against municipal affordable housing programs on the grounds that they discriminate by, for instance, preferring locals and young people. But shouldn’t cities be able to decide who gets cheaper housing?

All songs by Avi Mesika, who won our hearts when he built a protest tent in front of the IDF radio station to demonstrate against bias in their playlist:

Yored La-Yam Reva Le-Sheva K’he Oti Ayin Tachat Ayin (with Roni Levy)

]]>Allison, Noah, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

IDF = “It Don't Fucking-Matter”?

We discuss human rights group B’Tselem’s decision to stop telling IDF lawyers about crimes committed by soldiers because the army doesn’t give a shit and doesn’t do shit about these crimes.

The Other F-Word

There's a new trend on the left of using the word "fascist" to describe the direction in which our government is traveling. We discuss this mainstreaming of the "F-Word," which is becoming as much a part of the Tel Aviv lexicon as "Sababa."

Who are you to lower the rent?

The Ministry of Housing seems to be moving against municipal affordable housing programs on the grounds that they discriminate by, for instance, preferring locals and young people. But shouldn’t cities be able to decide who gets cheaper housing?

All songs by Avi Mesika, who won our hearts when he built a protest tent in front of the IDF radio station to demonstrate against bias in their playlist:

Yored La-Yam Reva Le-Sheva K’he Oti Ayin Tachat Ayin (with Roni Levy)

]]>01:00:02noThe "Donald Trump & the Jewish Question" EditionThu, 26 May 2016 12:30:10 +0000If you love Israel, this podcast will make you inexplicably happy: Israel Story's current season is almost over, so it's a perfect chance to catch up on everything you've been missing!

Today, Allison, Noah, and superstar guest Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

And now, right-wing Israeli democrats?

We discuss whether a new species is emerging in Israeli politics – right-wingers terrified by Netanyahu into embracing liberal democratic politics.

Donald Trump & the Jewish Question

Will Trump rend asunder once and for all right wing Jews from left? Or will he perhaps become a uniting force for Jews who may reject him en masse, and with him, reject Adelsonism as well?

Exhibiting confusion

Is an Israeli national museum possible or even desirable in 2016, or do we need a thousand museums for the thousand different stories we tell about ourselves? Is collective memory and collective identity just soooo twentieth century?

All songs by Dorin Yanni & The Band (in honor of their knockout show at the Jacob’s Ladder Festival this past weekend):

Whistle Wheels Singing With The Rain I Won't Go Home

]]>If you love Israel, this podcast will make you inexplicably happy: Israel Story's current season is almost over, so it's a perfect chance to catch up on everything you've been missing!

Today, Allison, Noah, and superstar guest Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

And now, right-wing Israeli democrats?

We discuss whether a new species is emerging in Israeli politics – right-wingers terrified by Netanyahu into embracing liberal democratic politics.

Donald Trump & the Jewish Question

Will Trump rend asunder once and for all right wing Jews from left? Or will he perhaps become a uniting force for Jews who may reject him en masse, and with him, reject Adelsonism as well?

Exhibiting confusion

Is an Israeli national museum possible or even desirable in 2016, or do we need a thousand museums for the thousand different stories we tell about ourselves? Is collective memory and collective identity just soooo twentieth century?

All songs by Dorin Yanni & The Band (in honor of their knockout show at the Jacob’s Ladder Festival this past weekend):

Whistle Wheels Singing With The Rain I Won't Go Home

]]>01:00:03noThe "Coalition ambition, suspicion, sedition, contrition & admonition" EditionThu, 19 May 2016 13:43:43 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Coalition ambition, suspicion, sedition, contrition & admonition

We discuss the expansion of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition that leaves Herzog and Labor out, and Avigdor Lieberman and his right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu Party in.

Birthright, Divest & Sanction?

A small number of "Birthright" alums are returning home to fight Israeli policy, and some are even joining BDS. How do you solve a problem like Birthright? Should we even try?

Be like Bar?

As new Israeli hair-straightening invention the "Dafni brush" flies off the shelves, we discuss the politics of Israeli images of beauty that find lithe, blond, and northern-European to be the ne plus ultra of hotness.

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Coalition ambition, suspicion, sedition, contrition & admonition

We discuss the expansion of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition that leaves Herzog and Labor out, and Avigdor Lieberman and his right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu Party in.

Birthright, Divest & Sanction?

A small number of "Birthright" alums are returning home to fight Israeli policy, and some are even joining BDS. How do you solve a problem like Birthright? Should we even try?

Be like Bar?

As new Israeli hair-straightening invention the "Dafni brush" flies off the shelves, we discuss the politics of Israeli images of beauty that find lithe, blond, and northern-European to be the ne plus ultra of hotness.

]]>01:00:02noThe "E Unibus Pluram?" EditionThu, 12 May 2016 12:00:00 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Term limits of endearment

We discuss a newly-proposed bill that would limit Israeli prime ministers to two terms, thereby giving the heave-ho to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Wages of peace?

A new report argues that "economic peace" is growing between Palestinians and Israelis. If true, will this promote real, political peace or impede it?

E Unibus Pluram?

Rather than splitting into warring "tribes," as many pundits think, are Israelis perhaps becoming one nation, under Netflix, with Bamba and Bisli for all?

All songs are old Gevatron folk songs, performed by Ha-Shibolim, in honor of Israeli Independence Day!

Shibolim Halleluyah Emek Sheli Gvanim

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Term limits of endearment

We discuss a newly-proposed bill that would limit Israeli prime ministers to two terms, thereby giving the heave-ho to Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Wages of peace?

A new report argues that "economic peace" is growing between Palestinians and Israelis. If true, will this promote real, political peace or impede it?

E Unibus Pluram?

Rather than splitting into warring "tribes," as many pundits think, are Israelis perhaps becoming one nation, under Netflix, with Bamba and Bisli for all?

All songs are old Gevatron folk songs, performed by Ha-Shibolim, in honor of Israeli Independence Day!

Shibolim Halleluyah Emek Sheli Gvanim

]]>01:00:01noThe "Ugly Israelis?" EditionThu, 05 May 2016 14:08:13 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

"Never again" what? "Never again" why?

We discuss what lessons we Israelis should draw from the Holocaust, and what lessons we shouldn’t. Is there a different kind of Israeli exceptionalism to be found in the memory of the Holocaust?

Legislation nation

Why do Israeli lawmakers propose more bills than lawmakers anywhere else on earth? Is this a good thing, making the country better in countless small ways, or is it a distracting side-show?

Ugly, ugly Israelis

We discuss the finger-pointing at Israelis who leave trash on beaches and in national parks, and whether or not it has racist undertones.

Songs of pain, loss, and destruction, in recognition of recording on Yom Ha-Shoah (Holocaust Memorial Day):

]]>01:00:03noThe "OUR Killer?" EditionThu, 28 Apr 2016 13:53:29 +0000Gilad Halpern (host of The
Tel Aviv Review), Naomi Zeveloff (Middle East Correspondent for
the Forward), and Noah discuss three topics
of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something
in Israel that made them smile this week.

OUR Killer?

Last week 2,000 Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv in
support of the 19-year-old soldier who shot in the head the
immobile 21-year-old Palestinian stabber. But what exactly
were they supporting?

Is right the new left?

We ask why leaders on the left and center sound more and more
right-wing every day, and whether this shift will help them get
elected.

You have the right to remain stupid

We discuss the former ultra-Orthodox who are suing the
country for allowing their parents to raise them as Haredim,
thereby denying them the skills they need to make it in secular
Israel.

All songs by Quarter to Africa:

Yalla, Boh Navi Et Zeh
Gam Ki Elekh
Ten Ta-Layback
Connect

]]>Gilad Halpern (host of The
Tel Aviv Review), Naomi Zeveloff (Middle East Correspondent for
the Forward), and Noah discuss three topics
of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something
in Israel that made them smile this week.

OUR Killer?

Last week 2,000 Israelis demonstrated in Tel Aviv in
support of the 19-year-old soldier who shot in the head the
immobile 21-year-old Palestinian stabber. But what exactly
were they supporting?

Is right the new left?

We ask why leaders on the left and center sound more and more
right-wing every day, and whether this shift will help them get
elected.

You have the right to remain stupid

We discuss the former ultra-Orthodox who are suing the
country for allowing their parents to raise them as Haredim,
thereby denying them the skills they need to make it in secular
Israel.

All songs by Quarter to Africa:

Yalla, Boh Navi Et Zeh
Gam Ki Elekh
Ten Ta-Layback
Connect

]]>01:00:23noThe "Four Sons for a New Generation" EditionThu, 21 Apr 2016 10:16:32 +0000In this Passover potpourri of propitious, panegyric perspicacity, Don, Allison, and Noah update the old story in the Midrash about the four sons. Then they serve up a primo pastiche of past "Vatacountry!" pieces, in which the panel (and guests) describe stuff that delights, enchants, surprises, and amuses them about this crazy country we live in and love.

Four Sons for a New Generation

We update the old story in the Midrash about the four sons - one wise, one evil, one simple, and one who does not know how to ask - by discussing who would be the modern versions of these ancient archetypes.

The Joys of Family

The Promised Podcast panel and guests discuss some of their most touching family moments in Israel, including birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Israeli

The Promised Podcast panel and guests recall some of their more poignant moments in special places in Israel, whether it be the Hula Valley, the Jerusalem Hills, on the street or around the dinner table.

Sometimes Israel Inspires

The Promised Podcast panel members tell stories about inspiring things they've witnessed in Israel: The kindness of strangers to a blind man; thought-provoking teaching in the army; and political activism among the younger generation.

]]>In this Passover potpourri of propitious, panegyric perspicacity, Don, Allison, and Noah update the old story in the Midrash about the four sons. Then they serve up a primo pastiche of past "Vatacountry!" pieces, in which the panel (and guests) describe stuff that delights, enchants, surprises, and amuses them about this crazy country we live in and love.

Four Sons for a New Generation

We update the old story in the Midrash about the four sons - one wise, one evil, one simple, and one who does not know how to ask - by discussing who would be the modern versions of these ancient archetypes.

The Joys of Family

The Promised Podcast panel and guests discuss some of their most touching family moments in Israel, including birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Israeli

The Promised Podcast panel and guests recall some of their more poignant moments in special places in Israel, whether it be the Hula Valley, the Jerusalem Hills, on the street or around the dinner table.

Sometimes Israel Inspires

The Promised Podcast panel members tell stories about inspiring things they've witnessed in Israel: The kindness of strangers to a blind man; thought-provoking teaching in the army; and political activism among the younger generation.

]]>01:00:01noThe "What Makes Bibi Tick?" EditionThu, 14 Apr 2016 15:02:12 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

What makes Bibi tick?

A new essay challenges the leftist article-of-faith that PM Benjamin Netanyahu tacks back and forth out of opportunism and naked ambition. It argues that at the base of everything he does is a bedrock of principle consisting mostly of weird-ass eschatology.

School’s out, completely

The Tel Aviv Municipality plans to turn a park in a troubled southern neighborhood of the city into a school for refugee kids. Many activists are saying, "Over our dead bodies!" - are they right?

Yids online!

A new survey of the habits of commerce and recreation of Israeli Modern Orthodox (or "National Religious") Jews finds that they use the internet a good deal more than everyone else. Are Modern Orthodox more "Modern" than Secular Israelis?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

What makes Bibi tick?

A new essay challenges the leftist article-of-faith that PM Benjamin Netanyahu tacks back and forth out of opportunism and naked ambition. It argues that at the base of everything he does is a bedrock of principle consisting mostly of weird-ass eschatology.

School’s out, completely

The Tel Aviv Municipality plans to turn a park in a troubled southern neighborhood of the city into a school for refugee kids. Many activists are saying, "Over our dead bodies!" - are they right?

Yids online!

A new survey of the habits of commerce and recreation of Israeli Modern Orthodox (or "National Religious") Jews finds that they use the internet a good deal more than everyone else. Are Modern Orthodox more "Modern" than Secular Israelis?

]]>01:00:02noThe "Peace Now, Still?" EditionThu, 07 Apr 2016 15:26:05 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

]]>01:00:02noThe "Killer and Hero" EditionThu, 31 Mar 2016 16:31:33 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Killer and Hero

We discuss the twist of logic and emotion that leads some Israelis to regard the combat medic who shoots a motionless injured Palestinian terrorist in the head, a hero.

$653,868.35

A new law that limits the salaries of bank presidents to just 44 times minimum wage, or a mere $653,868.35 a year; is this populist pitchfork polishing, or good legislating?

Two middle aged sociologists find Israeli Gen Y-ers (aged 21 to 34) shiftless and selfish, and a threat to the very existence of the state; are they full of shit?

All songs by Sivan Talmor, in honor of her new album, Fire, now available for download at Bandcamp:Chalonot (Start at 0:25)FireI'll be17

]]>01:00:04noThe "Quo Vadis, Bibi?!?" EditionThu, 24 Mar 2016 09:32:50 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Quo Vadis, Bibi?

We discuss the weird state of the Israeli government, which seems to be, at once, on the verge of collapse and surprisingly stable: What gives?

The Curious Case of the Rabbi Excommunicated for Exercising Free Speech

The moral and political dilemma arising from the Minister of Defense’s decision to excommunicate a rabbi for advising soldiers to ignore orders to evacuate settlements; we may hate the rabbis politics, but don’t we still need to defend his right to free expression.

A Tale of Two Censors

Whether it’s better for democracy to have an army censor who’s in our face, or one who expects that we censor ourselves (or maybe option C, no censor at all!.)

All songs composed by the great Ahuva Ozari (a “Founding Mother” of Mizrahi Music), in honor the last 17 immigrants secreted this week from Yemen to Jerusalem: Daklon and Sagiv Cohen with Ahuva Ozari, “Tzilzulei Pa'amonim”Yehudit Ravitz and Ahuvah Ozari, “Ha-Ish Ha-Hu”Ahuva Ozari, “Ha-Or Ha-Ganuz”Daklon and Sagiv Cohen with Ahuva Ozari, “Kol Koreh”

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Quo Vadis, Bibi?

We discuss the weird state of the Israeli government, which seems to be, at once, on the verge of collapse and surprisingly stable: What gives?

The Curious Case of the Rabbi Excommunicated for Exercising Free Speech

The moral and political dilemma arising from the Minister of Defense’s decision to excommunicate a rabbi for advising soldiers to ignore orders to evacuate settlements; we may hate the rabbis politics, but don’t we still need to defend his right to free expression.

A Tale of Two Censors

Whether it’s better for democracy to have an army censor who’s in our face, or one who expects that we censor ourselves (or maybe option C, no censor at all!.)

All songs composed by the great Ahuva Ozari (a “Founding Mother” of Mizrahi Music), in honor the last 17 immigrants secreted this week from Yemen to Jerusalem: Daklon and Sagiv Cohen with Ahuva Ozari, “Tzilzulei Pa'amonim”Yehudit Ravitz and Ahuvah Ozari, “Ha-Ish Ha-Hu”Ahuva Ozari, “Ha-Or Ha-Ganuz”Daklon and Sagiv Cohen with Ahuva Ozari, “Kol Koreh”

]]>01:00:03noThe "Expulsion!" EditionThu, 17 Mar 2016 11:00:00 +0000Allison, Noah and "Tel Aviv Review" host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Expulsion!

We discuss this wrenching finding of the Pew Research Center: 48 percent of Israeli Jews report that, under certain undefined circumstances, Palestinians ought to be expelled from Israel. The poll is problematic, but it says something too important to ignore.

Not feeling the Bern?

Why are we Israelis, who usually love it when Jews become luminaries and celebrities in the wide world, strangely unmoved by the success of that most Jewy of US Presidential candidates, Bernie Sanders. What is it about the Sanders campaign that has silenced our normally robust tribalism?

Americans are from Mars, Israelis are from Venus

The Pew poll findings also suggest that Israeli and American Jews may be two peoples separated by the same religion, and the rift seems to be growing wider by the moment. Are Israeli Jews and American Jews speciating, and is the day growing near when we will no longer be able to reproduce with one another?

]]>Allison, Noah and "Tel Aviv Review" host Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Expulsion!

We discuss this wrenching finding of the Pew Research Center: 48 percent of Israeli Jews report that, under certain undefined circumstances, Palestinians ought to be expelled from Israel. The poll is problematic, but it says something too important to ignore.

Not feeling the Bern?

Why are we Israelis, who usually love it when Jews become luminaries and celebrities in the wide world, strangely unmoved by the success of that most Jewy of US Presidential candidates, Bernie Sanders. What is it about the Sanders campaign that has silenced our normally robust tribalism?

Americans are from Mars, Israelis are from Venus

The Pew poll findings also suggest that Israeli and American Jews may be two peoples separated by the same religion, and the rift seems to be growing wider by the moment. Are Israeli Jews and American Jews speciating, and is the day growing near when we will no longer be able to reproduce with one another?

]]>01:00:01noThe "Death by Facebook?" EditionThu, 10 Mar 2016 13:37:47 +0000Allison, Noah, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Death by Facebook?

We discuss the emergent popular wisdom that Facebook bears some responsibility for the continuing epidemic of stabbings, by bringing persuasive, murderous messages to the mobile phones of Palestinian teens, and the demand of Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan that the social network censure dangerous posts.

Rattling Skeletons in Knesset Closets

A new project by journalist-activist Tomer Avital, called “100 Days of Transparency,” uses drones and private investigators to uncover putative politician scumbaggery. Is this the sort of transparency we want and need?

A dumb-ass satire of MK Stav Shaffir on the right-wing Jewish Heritage TV channel strikes some on the left as sexual harassment, leading some on the right to cry “double-standard.” Is it o.k. to suggest that Member of Knesset masturbates on her bicycle?

]]>Allison, Noah, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Death by Facebook?

We discuss the emergent popular wisdom that Facebook bears some responsibility for the continuing epidemic of stabbings, by bringing persuasive, murderous messages to the mobile phones of Palestinian teens, and the demand of Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan that the social network censure dangerous posts.

Rattling Skeletons in Knesset Closets

A new project by journalist-activist Tomer Avital, called “100 Days of Transparency,” uses drones and private investigators to uncover putative politician scumbaggery. Is this the sort of transparency we want and need?

A dumb-ass satire of MK Stav Shaffir on the right-wing Jewish Heritage TV channel strikes some on the left as sexual harassment, leading some on the right to cry “double-standard.” Is it o.k. to suggest that Member of Knesset masturbates on her bicycle?

]]>01:00:07yesThe "Trump ♥ Israel?" EditionThu, 03 Mar 2016 14:56:17 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Our grief and theirs

Pundits, politicians, and plain folks are enraged at those who express sympathy for the parents of slain terrorists; on one side, they claim, are those who love life, and on the other those who glorify death. Why did empathy become a zero-sum affair?

Now it’s our turn

We discuss a new political movement that seeks to undo what it sees as 135 years of Ashkenazi hegemony, and to reestablish Zionism on a new, more open, more friendly, more humane, and more Mizrahi basis.

Trump ♥ Israel?

Donald Trump recently made the very un-Republican assertion that the US President needs to be neutral about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Cruz and Rubio attacked him, but is it possible that they love Israel a little too much for our own good?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Our grief and theirs

Pundits, politicians, and plain folks are enraged at those who express sympathy for the parents of slain terrorists; on one side, they claim, are those who love life, and on the other those who glorify death. Why did empathy become a zero-sum affair?

Now it’s our turn

We discuss a new political movement that seeks to undo what it sees as 135 years of Ashkenazi hegemony, and to reestablish Zionism on a new, more open, more friendly, more humane, and more Mizrahi basis.

Trump ♥ Israel?

Donald Trump recently made the very un-Republican assertion that the US President needs to be neutral about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Cruz and Rubio attacked him, but is it possible that they love Israel a little too much for our own good?

]]>01:00:02noThe "Girls with Scissors" EditionThu, 25 Feb 2016 14:34:47 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Girls with scissors

We discuss the anger over IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot’s statement that "I would not want a soldier to unload an entire clip into a girl who is holding scissors." What the hell is wrong with that?

There’s something about Miri

We discuss the revelation that Israel's Minister of Culture & Sport, Miri Regev, just eight years ago considered joining the Labor Party. Is the populist right the only lane open to ambitious Mizrahi politicians?

Cyber fodder

A new school program is tracking Israeli nine-year-olds towards careers in the army’s cyber intelligence units. Has cyber replaced Shakespeare in the smithy of our children’s souls?

All songs by Nomke (the nom de guitar of Noam Sadan), just back from her triumphant tour of Italy:

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Girls with scissors

We discuss the anger over IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot’s statement that "I would not want a soldier to unload an entire clip into a girl who is holding scissors." What the hell is wrong with that?

There’s something about Miri

We discuss the revelation that Israel's Minister of Culture & Sport, Miri Regev, just eight years ago considered joining the Labor Party. Is the populist right the only lane open to ambitious Mizrahi politicians?

Cyber fodder

A new school program is tracking Israeli nine-year-olds towards careers in the army’s cyber intelligence units. Has cyber replaced Shakespeare in the smithy of our children’s souls?

All songs by Nomke (the nom de guitar of Noam Sadan), just back from her triumphant tour of Italy:

]]>01:00:01noThe "Too Much of a Good Book?" EditionThu, 18 Feb 2016 14:02:14 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Peace 2.0?

We discuss opposition leader Isaac Herzog’s proposal to build a massive fence – “They over there and we over here” – and disengage unilaterally from Palestinians. We ask, “Is unilateralism the new black?”

Litigating the Silence

A secret lawsuit has been brought by the army against NGO “Breaking the Silence,” to compel the group to share information it has gathered in the form of soldiers' testimonies. If BtS can hide the sources, shouldn't it share the information?

Too much of a good book?

A report has emerged showing that fewer high-schoolers are studying “humanities,” while more are studying Bible. Is scripture replacing Shakespeare in the smithy of our children's soul?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Peace 2.0?

We discuss opposition leader Isaac Herzog’s proposal to build a massive fence – “They over there and we over here” – and disengage unilaterally from Palestinians. We ask, “Is unilateralism the new black?”

Litigating the Silence

A secret lawsuit has been brought by the army against NGO “Breaking the Silence,” to compel the group to share information it has gathered in the form of soldiers' testimonies. If BtS can hide the sources, shouldn't it share the information?

Too much of a good book?

A report has emerged showing that fewer high-schoolers are studying “humanities,” while more are studying Bible. Is scripture replacing Shakespeare in the smithy of our children's soul?

]]>01:00:01noThe "This Time, With Feeling!" EditionThu, 11 Feb 2016 14:56:03 +0000Allison, Noah, and the Tel Aviv Review’s Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance (which this week all touch on issues of emotion) and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Dour, sour, and out of power: The Left's Grinch problem

We discuss whether the Israeli left is hobbled by its own anhedonia and general 'Grinchiness.' Should we, in such serious and fraught times, assume a more light-hearted attitude?

Invisible wounds

A viral video of a former IDF soldier testifying before the Knesset about his debilitating PTSD has shed light on the fact that this kind of trauma is more prevalent in Israel than previously thought. What should we do about it?

Anti-social networks

We discuss the assertions of an Israeli applied anthropologist that Israeli kids' excessive use of screens and social networks is turning them into sociopaths and solipsists. Might this have political implications?

]]>Allison, Noah, and the Tel Aviv Review’s Gilad Halpern discuss three topics of incomparable importance (which this week all touch on issues of emotion) and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Dour, sour, and out of power: The Left's Grinch problem

We discuss whether the Israeli left is hobbled by its own anhedonia and general 'Grinchiness.' Should we, in such serious and fraught times, assume a more light-hearted attitude?

Invisible wounds

A viral video of a former IDF soldier testifying before the Knesset about his debilitating PTSD has shed light on the fact that this kind of trauma is more prevalent in Israel than previously thought. What should we do about it?

Anti-social networks

We discuss the assertions of an Israeli applied anthropologist that Israeli kids' excessive use of screens and social networks is turning them into sociopaths and solipsists. Might this have political implications?

]]>01:00:03noThe "We're here!, Vey iz mir!, Get used to it!" EditionThu, 04 Feb 2016 14:56:11 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Best Western?

We discuss the historic cabinet decision that designates part of the Western Wall as pluralist and egalitarian. Is it a great victory for the home team or sort of a sell-out?

The hexed, vexed & perplexed textbook

The hubbub over a new edition of an Israeli civics textbook threatens to develop into a furor. Do we really need a unified civics textbook in a disunified civil society?

"We're here!, Vey iz mir!, Get used to it!"

How are we to regard the protester at the LGBTQ conference who opposed letting pro-Israel voices be heard? We may disagree with such Jewish BDSers, but don't we share at least some common cause?

All songs by Ella vs Mountain (Ella Doron), because sometimes you need a little pure pop for now people:

Charmed LifeI like youBigger than lifeSigns

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Best Western?

We discuss the historic cabinet decision that designates part of the Western Wall as pluralist and egalitarian. Is it a great victory for the home team or sort of a sell-out?

The hexed, vexed & perplexed textbook

The hubbub over a new edition of an Israeli civics textbook threatens to develop into a furor. Do we really need a unified civics textbook in a disunified civil society?

"We're here!, Vey iz mir!, Get used to it!"

How are we to regard the protester at the LGBTQ conference who opposed letting pro-Israel voices be heard? We may disagree with such Jewish BDSers, but don't we share at least some common cause?

All songs by Ella vs Mountain (Ella Doron), because sometimes you need a little pure pop for now people:

Charmed LifeI like youBigger than lifeSigns

]]>01:00:05noThe "Lucre, Filthy & Clean" EditionThu, 28 Jan 2016 14:41:41 +0000Gilad Halpern (host of the Tel Aviv Review), pollster and political consultant Dahlia Scheindlin, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Lucre, filthy & clean

We discuss the "NGO Transparency Bill" and whether money donated by foreign governments is any different from money donated by foreign individuals.

Trust in an age of terror

We discuss the alarming deterioration of trust between Jewish and Arab Israelis, demonstrated by the results of the latest INSS poll.

Love of Labor lost

Eitan Haber, one of Yitzhak Rabin's closest advisers, wrote this week that Rabin's party just has too much baggage to continue. Is it time to stick a fork in the Labor Party?

All songs by Hagar Raveh in honor of her new album, Yeled Kof, that just dropped this week:

]]>Gilad Halpern (host of the Tel Aviv Review), pollster and political consultant Dahlia Scheindlin, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Lucre, filthy & clean

We discuss the "NGO Transparency Bill" and whether money donated by foreign governments is any different from money donated by foreign individuals.

Trust in an age of terror

We discuss the alarming deterioration of trust between Jewish and Arab Israelis, demonstrated by the results of the latest INSS poll.

Love of Labor lost

Eitan Haber, one of Yitzhak Rabin's closest advisers, wrote this week that Rabin's party just has too much baggage to continue. Is it time to stick a fork in the Labor Party?

All songs by Hagar Raveh in honor of her new album, Yeled Kof, that just dropped this week:

]]>01:00:06noThe "Spying on the Left: Tales of Moles and Weasels" EditionThu, 21 Jan 2016 15:25:00 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Tales of moles and weasels

We discuss some recent revelations of right wing moles infiltrating human rights organizations. What, if anything, should be done about it?

Street justice?

We discuss the rage over a statement by Sweden’s Foreign Minister that Israel condones the "extra-judicial killing" of terrorists.

"I pledge excretion to the flag"

We discuss the decision to try a performance artist who defecated on the flag – is this another dead canary in the mine of Israeli democracy?

All songs by Nili Fink:

Toss AwayRiot CityDying AloneMasa Asphalt

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Tales of moles and weasels

We discuss some recent revelations of right wing moles infiltrating human rights organizations. What, if anything, should be done about it?

Street justice?

We discuss the rage over a statement by Sweden’s Foreign Minister that Israel condones the "extra-judicial killing" of terrorists.

"I pledge excretion to the flag"

We discuss the decision to try a performance artist who defecated on the flag – is this another dead canary in the mine of Israeli democracy?

All songs by Nili Fink:

Toss AwayRiot CityDying AloneMasa Asphalt

]]>01:00:04noThe "Occupation is a Feminist Issue" EditionThu, 14 Jan 2016 14:35:13 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Condemn, and this time with feeling!

Some right-wing Israeli politicians are demanding that Palestinian Israeli leaders condemn Palestinian violence quickly, contritely, and convincingly. Do Palestinian Israelis have a special obligation to condemn Palestinian violence?

The Oligarch Faculty of Judaic Studies

We discuss a shocking exposé finding that Israeli hospitals, museums, universities, and zoos will let rich philanthropists do pretty much whatever they want in exchange for a donation.

Occupation is a feminist issue!

We discuss the decision of America’s National Women’s Studies Association to boycott Israel because their struggles "intersect" with the struggles of Palestinians. What are we to make of the politics of "intersectionality"?

All songs by Aviva Dese:

ShorashimTheir EyesUnfarasMurder

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Condemn, and this time with feeling!

Some right-wing Israeli politicians are demanding that Palestinian Israeli leaders condemn Palestinian violence quickly, contritely, and convincingly. Do Palestinian Israelis have a special obligation to condemn Palestinian violence?

The Oligarch Faculty of Judaic Studies

We discuss a shocking exposé finding that Israeli hospitals, museums, universities, and zoos will let rich philanthropists do pretty much whatever they want in exchange for a donation.

Occupation is a feminist issue!

We discuss the decision of America’s National Women’s Studies Association to boycott Israel because their struggles "intersect" with the struggles of Palestinians. What are we to make of the politics of "intersectionality"?

All songs by Aviva Dese:

ShorashimTheir EyesUnfarasMurder

]]>01:00:01noThe "Trigger Warning: May Contain Optimism" EditionThu, 07 Jan 2016 12:48:39 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

People of not-this-book!

We discuss the brouhaha over the Israeli Ministry of Education’s decision to not include a book in the high school curriculum because of the book’s "racy" themes.

Trigger warning: May contain optimism

We found a rare, leftist end-of-2015 wrap-up that finds reason for hope – what’s up with that? Maybe this year hasn't been as bad as most of us are telling ourselves?

Gay for the Likud!

The newest MK, Amir Ohana, calls himself “Jewish, Israeli, Mizrahi, gay, Likudnik, a security hawk, a liberal, and a man of the free market,” but can you really embrace Gay politics from the right?

]]>01:00:02noThe "Thug Jews" Edition (Live from Limmud!)Thu, 31 Dec 2015 14:46:34 +0000Allison, Noah, and Oxford Prof. Sara Hirschhorn are live (on tape) from Limmud in Birmingham, England! They discuss three topics of incomparable importance, answering questions from the audience, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Are reports of Israel’s demise exaggerated?

What explains a recent spate of articles by bummed out Zionists suggesting that Israel’s days are numbered?

The other American revolution

We ask why so many of the Jewish terrorists in Israel carry American passports. What part does their American heritage play in their murderous zealotry?

Thug Jews

Is there anything to the claims of gadfly former Knesset Speaker Avrum Burg that, because Jews had no power in the past, Israelis today are on a power-bender and out of control?

All songs with an UK theme, in honor of recording from Limmud, England:

]]>Allison, Noah, and Oxford Prof. Sara Hirschhorn are live (on tape) from Limmud in Birmingham, England! They discuss three topics of incomparable importance, answering questions from the audience, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Are reports of Israel’s demise exaggerated?

What explains a recent spate of articles by bummed out Zionists suggesting that Israel’s days are numbered?

The other American revolution

We ask why so many of the Jewish terrorists in Israel carry American passports. What part does their American heritage play in their murderous zealotry?

Thug Jews

Is there anything to the claims of gadfly former Knesset Speaker Avrum Burg that, because Jews had no power in the past, Israelis today are on a power-bender and out of control?

All songs with an UK theme, in honor of recording from Limmud, England:

]]>01:08:42noThe "Breaking the Left?" EditionThu, 24 Dec 2015 12:47:53 +0000Allison, Noah, and host of The Tel Aviv Review, Gilad Halpern, discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Breaking the Left?

We discuss the furor over Breaking the Silence, a watchdog NGO that publishes reports of IDF misconduct. Why do they inspire such rage in so many people?

Dying to be in Israel

We discuss a stunning new report that reveals shocking figures about how often immigrants to Israel - especially from the Ethiopian and Russian communities - kill themselves. What drives them to the brink?

]]>Allison, Noah, and host of The Tel Aviv Review, Gilad Halpern, discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Breaking the Left?

We discuss the furor over Breaking the Silence, a watchdog NGO that publishes reports of IDF misconduct. Why do they inspire such rage in so many people?

Dying to be in Israel

We discuss a stunning new report that reveals shocking figures about how often immigrants to Israel - especially from the Ethiopian and Russian communities - kill themselves. What drives them to the brink?

]]>01:00:01noThe "Cool to a Warming World?" EditionThu, 17 Dec 2015 14:03:21 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Pity the poor Afula!

We discuss demonstrations by residents of Afula, a town in the north of Israel, against a tender for hundreds of new apartments that was won by Arab Israelis.

Am I not Ayman?

We discuss MK and leader of the (mostly-)Arab “Joint List,” Ayman Odeh’s tour of America. What does it say about the new sort of politics he represents?

]]>01:00:01noThe "Three Men, Three Paths to Peace" EditionThu, 10 Dec 2015 14:31:33 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Politics of purism

Former MK and political commentator Yossi Sarid tragically died this week. We discuss the legacy of the longtime leader of the “peace camp.” Was he part of why the Left is now in a shambles?

The 'Mizrahification' of peace

We discuss Amir Peretz’s bid to take over the Zionist Union, his new peace plan, and his claim that only a Mizrahi candidate like himself has the chops to win an election and negotiate a peace deal.

A third way?

We discuss a new movie about an effort of settlers and Palestinians to forge a "third way" to peace, inspired by Rav Menachem Froman. Director Harvey Stein joins the conversation!

]]>01:00:01noThe "Professors, Police & Parliamentarians: Everyone Harasses!" EditionThu, 03 Dec 2015 14:08:45 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

"Horny for you"

We discuss the member of Knesset who resigned after it became public that he harassed women, and ambivalent efforts to address sexual harassment elsewhere.

It’s a gas, gas, gas

We ask why Israel's incipient gas deal has sparked mass protests on the streets, while other issues are met with apathy.

Kidnapped 67-year-old babies

We discuss why many people believe that Yemenite babies were transferred from their parents to Ashkenazi parents 60-odd years ago.

]]>58:34noThe "Did Peace Slip Through Our Fingers?" EditionThu, 26 Nov 2015 12:58:54 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Did peace slip through our fingers?

We discuss a socko television documentary showing how close Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas came to a peace agreement eight years ago, and yet how far, raising a raft of “what if?” questions.

The corruption deduction

We discuss the behind-the-scenes deals that allowed MKs to funnel monies to their favorite causes in exchange for their acquiescence to the proposed budget. Is it quite as unsavory as it seems?

Fighter flight

We discuss an IDF poll showing that, increasingly, the guys with the guns are the guys with the kippot. Should we be worried that the army seems to be becoming a religious person's institution?

]]>01:00:02noThe "Bickering about Stickering" EditionThu, 19 Nov 2015 13:48:42 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

"Well, what family doesn't have its ups and downs?" (With apologies to James Goldman and Katherine Hepburn, or perhaps to King Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine)

We discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent attempts to fix relations with American Jews. Is his "charm offensive" more charm or offensive?

Bickering about stickering

The EU has issued new guidelines for the labeling of products from the occupied territories, and many Israelis are up in arms. We ask how those of us on the left ought to respond.

What happened in Paris

Finally, we discuss what sense we in Israel make – or should make – of the infinitely sad mass-murders in Paris.

All songs are tributes to Paris, with a heavy heart and a troubled mind:

]]>01:00:02noThe "They Really Don’t Like Us!" EditionThu, 12 Nov 2015 13:16:00 +0000Noah, Don, and Haaretz columnist and ubermensch Bradley Burston discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A meta-survey suggests that Palestinians really don’t think highly of Israelis and Jews, and other polls suggest that Israeli Jews don’t have much sympathy for Palestinians. Does this prove a one-state solution is completely implausible?

Leaving the land

We ask whether or not it's time to stick a fork in the old Zionist dream of Jews returning to the land and making it bloom. Should we lament the "abandonment" of the agriculture industry?

Sound salvation (with apologies to Elvis Costello)

We discuss the efforts of Minister of Culture and Sports, Brigadier General Miri Regev, to make army radio station Galgalatz play more Mizrahi music.

A meta-survey suggests that Palestinians really don’t think highly of Israelis and Jews, and other polls suggest that Israeli Jews don’t have much sympathy for Palestinians. Does this prove a one-state solution is completely implausible?

Leaving the land

We ask whether or not it's time to stick a fork in the old Zionist dream of Jews returning to the land and making it bloom. Should we lament the "abandonment" of the agriculture industry?

Sound salvation (with apologies to Elvis Costello)

We discuss the efforts of Minister of Culture and Sports, Brigadier General Miri Regev, to make army radio station Galgalatz play more Mizrahi music.

]]>01:00:02noThe "If I Divide Thee, O Jerusalem" EditionThu, 05 Nov 2015 14:17:09 +0000Noah, Don, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

If I Divide Thee, O Jerusalem…

A shocking new poll shows that 56 percent of Israelis wish to transfer Arab majority neighborhoods in Jerusalem to the hands of the Palestinian Authority, to let them keep the peace. We discuss its potential political implications.

Partition ambition

We discuss a proposal to slice Israel up into two states: An enlightened, progressive, leftist, secular state called "Dan" and a benighted, religious state called "Judaea." Why is this separation so appealing to those on the left?

Trapped in the Net: Are social networks killing Israeli politics?

Did the personal computer kill the raucous political rally? We talk about how the internet has changed the face of Israeli politics, and not necessarily for the better.

]]>Noah, Don, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

If I Divide Thee, O Jerusalem…

A shocking new poll shows that 56 percent of Israelis wish to transfer Arab majority neighborhoods in Jerusalem to the hands of the Palestinian Authority, to let them keep the peace. We discuss its potential political implications.

Partition ambition

We discuss a proposal to slice Israel up into two states: An enlightened, progressive, leftist, secular state called "Dan" and a benighted, religious state called "Judaea." Why is this separation so appealing to those on the left?

Trapped in the Net: Are social networks killing Israeli politics?

Did the personal computer kill the raucous political rally? We talk about how the internet has changed the face of Israeli politics, and not necessarily for the better.

]]>01:00:06noThe "It Was Twenty Years Ago Today" EditionThu, 29 Oct 2015 14:07:59 +0000In a show marking, with sadness, the 20th anniversary of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s murder, Allison, Noah and Don (fresh back from rehab) discuss three Rabin-related topics, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Whose death is it, anyway?

We discuss the struggle over Rabin’s legacy: Should it be a broad message about political violence, or a narrower message about the dangers of the occupation?

Who really killed Rabin?

Alarming polls show that one third of all Israelis and half of religious Israeli Jews do not believe that PM Rabin was killed by Yigal Amir, instead believing one of the many conspiracy theories that proliferate. We ask why.

Had Rabin lived…

We try to answer that unanswerable, counterfactual question: Had Yigal Amir eaten some bad sushi on the 3rd of November, 1995, what country and what world would we be living in today?

All songs by Nati Hassid, in honor of his show this week at the Ozenbar club here in Tel Aviv!

]]>In a show marking, with sadness, the 20th anniversary of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s murder, Allison, Noah and Don (fresh back from rehab) discuss three Rabin-related topics, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Whose death is it, anyway?

We discuss the struggle over Rabin’s legacy: Should it be a broad message about political violence, or a narrower message about the dangers of the occupation?

Who really killed Rabin?

Alarming polls show that one third of all Israelis and half of religious Israeli Jews do not believe that PM Rabin was killed by Yigal Amir, instead believing one of the many conspiracy theories that proliferate. We ask why.

Had Rabin lived…

We try to answer that unanswerable, counterfactual question: Had Yigal Amir eaten some bad sushi on the 3rd of November, 1995, what country and what world would we be living in today?

All songs by Nati Hassid, in honor of his show this week at the Ozenbar club here in Tel Aviv!

]]>01:00:01noThe "Standing Together or Coming Apart?" EditionThu, 22 Oct 2015 13:41:00 +0000Allison, Noah, and special guest, professor and environmental leader Alon Tal, discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Standing together or coming apart?

We discuss competing narratives on the left for explaining the “knifey, stabby” times we’re living in.

Rage of Consent?

We discuss efforts to change Israel’s rape laws that turn the focus of the courts from the victims to the perpetrators.

]]>Allison, Noah, and special guest, professor and environmental leader Alon Tal, discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Standing together or coming apart?

We discuss competing narratives on the left for explaining the “knifey, stabby” times we’re living in.

Rage of Consent?

We discuss efforts to change Israel’s rape laws that turn the focus of the courts from the victims to the perpetrators.

]]>01:00:01noThe "Savage Days" EditionThu, 15 Oct 2015 13:16:40 +0000Allison, Noah, and special guest Miriam Herschlag (Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor) discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Savage times

These may not be the worst of times, but never have times been bad in just this way. We discuss what this week has been like for us, as parents and as people, as our Facebook feeds fill with ever-more-horrifying videos.

What Israel’s right makes of the violence

How has Israel's right reacted to this gruesome spate of attacks, and do they have a point?

What Israel’s left makes of the violence

How has Israel's left reacted to this gruesome spate of attacks, and do they have a point?

]]>Allison, Noah, and special guest Miriam Herschlag (Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor) discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Savage times

These may not be the worst of times, but never have times been bad in just this way. We discuss what this week has been like for us, as parents and as people, as our Facebook feeds fill with ever-more-horrifying videos.

What Israel’s right makes of the violence

How has Israel's right reacted to this gruesome spate of attacks, and do they have a point?

What Israel’s left makes of the violence

How has Israel's left reacted to this gruesome spate of attacks, and do they have a point?

]]>01:00:03noThe "Battle-Tested Testes" EditionThu, 08 Oct 2015 12:28:50 +0000Allison, Noah, and special guest Miriam Herschlag (Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor) discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Third Intifada?

We discuss the waves of violence engulfing us, as stabbings follow shootings follow stonings, accompanied by violent demonstrations and mass arrests. What the hell is happening around us, and what, if anything, can make it stop?

Kids and racism

A study has found that almost two in five of teachers say they lack adequate teaching tools to combat racism among their students - our kids. Is racism common coin in our children’s economies and, if so, what should be done about it?

The temptations of battle-tested testes

New research has found that Israeli women shopping at sperm banks prefer soldiers' sperm, the more battle-tested the better. What is that about?

]]>Allison, Noah, and special guest Miriam Herschlag (Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor) discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Third Intifada?

We discuss the waves of violence engulfing us, as stabbings follow shootings follow stonings, accompanied by violent demonstrations and mass arrests. What the hell is happening around us, and what, if anything, can make it stop?

Kids and racism

A study has found that almost two in five of teachers say they lack adequate teaching tools to combat racism among their students - our kids. Is racism common coin in our children’s economies and, if so, what should be done about it?

The temptations of battle-tested testes

New research has found that Israeli women shopping at sperm banks prefer soldiers' sperm, the more battle-tested the better. What is that about?

]]>01:00:01noThe "Get Ready for the Repub-Likud Party" EditionThu, 01 Oct 2015 12:07:56 +0000Allison, Noah, and special guest Gilad Halpern (Managing Editor of Ynet News and host of TLV1’s Tel Aviv Review) discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The coming of the Repub-Likud & Avodah-mocrat parties

We discuss PM Netanyahu’s plans to unify the parties on the right into an "Israeli Republican Party," and the nascent efforts of the Labor Party and the Tnua Party to do the same thing on the center left, forming an "Israeli Democratic Party."

Sham-bassador?

We discuss the efforts of three leftist diplomats to block the appointment of Dani Dayan, one-time chair of the settler YESHA Council, as Israel’s ambassador to Brazil, by convincing Brazilia not to allow him to serve.

Charming settlers

We discuss the "charm offensive" of settlers, who have lately taken to inviting folks to their towns, their vineyards, their homes, to demonstrate how much, if we just give them a chance, we'd like them, we'd really like them.

All songs by Ha-Tavlinim:

Ba LiBa-TachanahRosh Ba-KirTzilzalei Paomonim

]]>Allison, Noah, and special guest Gilad Halpern (Managing Editor of Ynet News and host of TLV1’s Tel Aviv Review) discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The coming of the Repub-Likud & Avodah-mocrat parties

We discuss PM Netanyahu’s plans to unify the parties on the right into an "Israeli Republican Party," and the nascent efforts of the Labor Party and the Tnua Party to do the same thing on the center left, forming an "Israeli Democratic Party."

Sham-bassador?

We discuss the efforts of three leftist diplomats to block the appointment of Dani Dayan, one-time chair of the settler YESHA Council, as Israel’s ambassador to Brazil, by convincing Brazilia not to allow him to serve.

Charming settlers

We discuss the "charm offensive" of settlers, who have lately taken to inviting folks to their towns, their vineyards, their homes, to demonstrate how much, if we just give them a chance, we'd like them, we'd really like them.

All songs by Ha-Tavlinim:

Ba LiBa-TachanahRosh Ba-KirTzilzalei Paomonim

]]>01:00:01noThe “Portmania” EditionThu, 24 Sep 2015 12:03:05 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Sticks and stones

We discuss the raft of government proposals to increase the penalties for stone-throwing, in the wake of the tragic death of Alexander Levlovich. How ought we to treat kids in kaffiyehs pelting with potentially deadly projectiles in the name of political protest?

Won’t anyone think of the capitalists?

We discuss an essay in Haaretz magazine entitled "Capitalism in Israel is Under the Brutal Attack of Social Activists" - oh my, won't anyone think of the rich people!? But is there a point here? Have do-gooders turned capitalism into a dirty word?

Portmania (A Tale of Love and Sadness)

We discuss the new movie written and directed by, and starring, FOPP (Friend of the Promised Podcast) Natalie Portman, "A Tale of Love and Darkness," based on the astonishing book by Amos Oz.

All songs by Adi Madanes, in honor of his new record, "Lachlom, Lirkom, Lifrom":

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Sticks and stones

We discuss the raft of government proposals to increase the penalties for stone-throwing, in the wake of the tragic death of Alexander Levlovich. How ought we to treat kids in kaffiyehs pelting with potentially deadly projectiles in the name of political protest?

Won’t anyone think of the capitalists?

We discuss an essay in Haaretz magazine entitled "Capitalism in Israel is Under the Brutal Attack of Social Activists" - oh my, won't anyone think of the rich people!? But is there a point here? Have do-gooders turned capitalism into a dirty word?

Portmania (A Tale of Love and Sadness)

We discuss the new movie written and directed by, and starring, FOPP (Friend of the Promised Podcast) Natalie Portman, "A Tale of Love and Darkness," based on the astonishing book by Amos Oz.

All songs by Adi Madanes, in honor of his new record, "Lachlom, Lirkom, Lifrom":

]]>01:00:05no"The State of the Spirit (and the Spirit of the State)" EditionThu, 17 Sep 2015 12:00:32 +0000To mark the Days of Awe, Allison, Don and Noah discuss a trinity of topics aimed to divine the state of the spirit and the spirit of the state here in Israel. We ponder the state of religion & irreligion, spirituality & superstition, creed & cult in the Jewish State, even as God looks down upon us and ponders whether or not to inscribe The Promised Podcast in the Book of Many Downloads, or instead, in the Book of Too Few Facebook Likes, heaven forefend!

The religiouser we get, the happier we feel?

A poll commissioned by Haaretz has found that ultra-Orthodox Jews are happier than Orthodox Jews, who are in turn happier than traditional Jews, who are in turn happier than secular Jews. What's the explanation?

Gimme that ol’ time irreligion!

That same poll has found that 70 percent of Israeli Jews believe in God, and 98 percent of Israeli Arabs, meaning – among other things – that lots of ostensibly secular Jews have begun to believe in God. Are atheist Zionists becoming an endangered species?

Taming theists with technology?

Research indicates that ultra-Orthodox Jews are using the internet in rapidly growing numbers. Can frumkeit and Facebook really mix? Or will the wiring of the ultra-Orthodox lead to their assimilation into the great unwashed mass of instagramming idiots?

Songs by Tuna, one of Israel’s great rappers, in honor of his new album, "Gam Zeh Ya’avor"!

]]>To mark the Days of Awe, Allison, Don and Noah discuss a trinity of topics aimed to divine the state of the spirit and the spirit of the state here in Israel. We ponder the state of religion & irreligion, spirituality & superstition, creed & cult in the Jewish State, even as God looks down upon us and ponders whether or not to inscribe The Promised Podcast in the Book of Many Downloads, or instead, in the Book of Too Few Facebook Likes, heaven forefend!

The religiouser we get, the happier we feel?

A poll commissioned by Haaretz has found that ultra-Orthodox Jews are happier than Orthodox Jews, who are in turn happier than traditional Jews, who are in turn happier than secular Jews. What's the explanation?

Gimme that ol’ time irreligion!

That same poll has found that 70 percent of Israeli Jews believe in God, and 98 percent of Israeli Arabs, meaning – among other things – that lots of ostensibly secular Jews have begun to believe in God. Are atheist Zionists becoming an endangered species?

Taming theists with technology?

Research indicates that ultra-Orthodox Jews are using the internet in rapidly growing numbers. Can frumkeit and Facebook really mix? Or will the wiring of the ultra-Orthodox lead to their assimilation into the great unwashed mass of instagramming idiots?

Songs by Tuna, one of Israel’s great rappers, in honor of his new album, "Gam Zeh Ya’avor"!

]]>01:00:01noThe “Another Year Gone” EditionThu, 10 Sep 2015 11:41:01 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

To hell with what folks think about Israel!

This year, perhaps more than ever before in history, our government seems to be saying a big "FUCK YOU" to the world. We just don’t care what you think about us. Obama? Screw you! Hollande? Up yours! Merkel? Take a hike! But why? Why? Why?

The beginning of the end of the Rabbinate

Blatant rebellion against Israel's Chief Rabbinate broke out this year after a group of rabbis established an alternative, “friendlier” conversion court. Everyone expected the Orthodox hegemony to get even stronger, but are the rabbis losing their grip?

Dazed, confused, drunk, and depressed

Israeli leftists spent this year mad, muttering, and morbidly depressed. This was the year that so many of us on the left lost our nerve, our mojo, our hope - even though now is when we need them the most: What the hell can we do to get them back?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

To hell with what folks think about Israel!

This year, perhaps more than ever before in history, our government seems to be saying a big "FUCK YOU" to the world. We just don’t care what you think about us. Obama? Screw you! Hollande? Up yours! Merkel? Take a hike! But why? Why? Why?

The beginning of the end of the Rabbinate

Blatant rebellion against Israel's Chief Rabbinate broke out this year after a group of rabbis established an alternative, “friendlier” conversion court. Everyone expected the Orthodox hegemony to get even stronger, but are the rabbis losing their grip?

Dazed, confused, drunk, and depressed

Israeli leftists spent this year mad, muttering, and morbidly depressed. This was the year that so many of us on the left lost our nerve, our mojo, our hope - even though now is when we need them the most: What the hell can we do to get them back?

]]>01:00:01noThe “Constraining Kids in Casts” EditionThu, 03 Sep 2015 12:16:16 +0000Allison, Noah, and The Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Constraining kids in casts: A scene from the occupation

We discuss the inescapably viral video of an Israeli soldier grappling with a 12-year-old boy, one of his arms in a cast, as two Palestinian woman and one girl grapple with him, pounding, scratching, and biting. What are we to make of such a distressing sight?

Opposing Netanyahu, this time with feeling

Israel’s youngest MK (at 30) and social protest leader Stav Shaffir has called her party’s failure to challenge the ruling coalition “a first-rate leadership failure.” We ask whether she's right, and what the opposition should be doing instead.

Teaching kids the Classics: Gates, Jobs & Zuckerberg

New Minister of Education Naftali Bennett is trying to convince high-schoolers to take high level math, which will give them primo salaries - a sort of Start-Up National Service. We ask why all this neo-capitalist ideology on school grounds makes us want to puke.

]]>Allison, Noah, and The Times of Israel Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Constraining kids in casts: A scene from the occupation

We discuss the inescapably viral video of an Israeli soldier grappling with a 12-year-old boy, one of his arms in a cast, as two Palestinian woman and one girl grapple with him, pounding, scratching, and biting. What are we to make of such a distressing sight?

Opposing Netanyahu, this time with feeling

Israel’s youngest MK (at 30) and social protest leader Stav Shaffir has called her party’s failure to challenge the ruling coalition “a first-rate leadership failure.” We ask whether she's right, and what the opposition should be doing instead.

Teaching kids the Classics: Gates, Jobs & Zuckerberg

New Minister of Education Naftali Bennett is trying to convince high-schoolers to take high level math, which will give them primo salaries - a sort of Start-Up National Service. We ask why all this neo-capitalist ideology on school grounds makes us want to puke.

]]>01:00:09no The “Midsummer Night’s Dream (of Bibi Bygone)” EditionThu, 27 Aug 2015 16:43:57 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Peace by the numbers

A new poll commissioned by the energetic, leftist think-tank Molad, suggests a new strategy for ending the right’s grip on power and, in time, for ending the occupation and achieving peace with the Palestinians. We ask what these new numbers add up to.

A new (leftist) saviour to rise from these streets

There's a buzz in the sidewalk cafes of greater Tel Aviv this week, as we saw politic's future and its name is General Gabi Ashkenazi. Is he our “Great White Hope”? Or is “Great White Hope-ism” the religion of fools, and are those fools us?

This land is your land, this land is my land

We discuss the bill proposed by Labour MK Danni Atar, which would grant traditional agricultural settlements effective ownership over 90 percent of their lands, while requiring them to fork over the remaining 10 percent to nearby development towns.

All songs by Avraham Tal, in honor of his kick-ass free show in the sandbox in the Tel Aviv Port:

Ve-ha-boker Ya’alehAni ItachBo’ee NishkavBo Kmo she-Atah

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Peace by the numbers

A new poll commissioned by the energetic, leftist think-tank Molad, suggests a new strategy for ending the right’s grip on power and, in time, for ending the occupation and achieving peace with the Palestinians. We ask what these new numbers add up to.

A new (leftist) saviour to rise from these streets

There's a buzz in the sidewalk cafes of greater Tel Aviv this week, as we saw politic's future and its name is General Gabi Ashkenazi. Is he our “Great White Hope”? Or is “Great White Hope-ism” the religion of fools, and are those fools us?

This land is your land, this land is my land

We discuss the bill proposed by Labour MK Danni Atar, which would grant traditional agricultural settlements effective ownership over 90 percent of their lands, while requiring them to fork over the remaining 10 percent to nearby development towns.

All songs by Avraham Tal, in honor of his kick-ass free show in the sandbox in the Tel Aviv Port:

Ve-ha-boker Ya’alehAni ItachBo’ee NishkavBo Kmo she-Atah

]]>01:00:02noThe “Israel and the ‘A Word’” EditionThu, 20 Aug 2015 11:07:29 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel and the "A Word"

Haaretz columnist and mensch Bradley Burston wrote an essay entitled “It’s Time to Admit it. Israeli Policy is What it Is: Apartheid.” It went viral. We ask if it makes sense – factually and politically – to use the "A word" to describe Israel.

The wages of politicization

The newly more-politicized “Judicial Appointment Committee” met this week, and Likud MK Nurit Koren proposed advancing a judge because she is a woman of Yeminite descent, like Koren herself. We ask if Koren was really that off base.

The Way Home (Road Trip!)

Social protest leader Daphni Leef and singer-songwriter Yael Deckelbaum are planning to load up a van with all manner of shit and travel cross country for a month, listening to people describe their vision for the country. Is Dafni and Yael’s fantabulous journey a political act of meaning?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel and the "A Word"

Haaretz columnist and mensch Bradley Burston wrote an essay entitled “It’s Time to Admit it. Israeli Policy is What it Is: Apartheid.” It went viral. We ask if it makes sense – factually and politically – to use the "A word" to describe Israel.

The wages of politicization

The newly more-politicized “Judicial Appointment Committee” met this week, and Likud MK Nurit Koren proposed advancing a judge because she is a woman of Yeminite descent, like Koren herself. We ask if Koren was really that off base.

The Way Home (Road Trip!)

Social protest leader Daphni Leef and singer-songwriter Yael Deckelbaum are planning to load up a van with all manner of shit and travel cross country for a month, listening to people describe their vision for the country. Is Dafni and Yael’s fantabulous journey a political act of meaning?

]]>01:00:04noThe “Jewing Up the Diaspora” EditionThu, 13 Aug 2015 11:30:24 +0000Allison, Noah, and The Times of Israel's Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Hershlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A decade out of Gaza

On the tenth anniversary of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the Jewish settlements in Gaza, we discuss the lasting legacy of the withdrawal - one of the most dramatic events in Israel's history. What, if anything, can we learn from it a decade later?

Jewing up the diaspora real nice

An ambitious new program has been announced by the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs meant to fix “the weakening of the Jewish foundations of the family unit” among diaspora Jews. Is this just more insufferable Israeli meddlesome condescension?

Israel's dead, long live the Jewish State!

We discuss 91-year-old peace activist and moral compass Uri Avnery’s assertion in Haaretz that we’re seeing a frightful shift in Israel from a “Hebrew” state to a “Jewish” state that will subvert Zionism and soon bury us all.

All songs by Tamar Eisenman, in honor of her new record, Limbo, her first in Hebrew!

Klum LoRegaLimboDay & Night

]]>Allison, Noah, and The Times of Israel's Ops & Blogs editor Miriam Hershlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A decade out of Gaza

On the tenth anniversary of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the Jewish settlements in Gaza, we discuss the lasting legacy of the withdrawal - one of the most dramatic events in Israel's history. What, if anything, can we learn from it a decade later?

Jewing up the diaspora real nice

An ambitious new program has been announced by the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs meant to fix “the weakening of the Jewish foundations of the family unit” among diaspora Jews. Is this just more insufferable Israeli meddlesome condescension?

Israel's dead, long live the Jewish State!

We discuss 91-year-old peace activist and moral compass Uri Avnery’s assertion in Haaretz that we’re seeing a frightful shift in Israel from a “Hebrew” state to a “Jewish” state that will subvert Zionism and soon bury us all.

All songs by Tamar Eisenman, in honor of her new record, Limbo, her first in Hebrew!

Klum LoRegaLimboDay & Night

]]>01:00:01no"The Other Side of Israel" EditionThu, 06 Aug 2015 13:53:40 +0000Noah and special guest Sandy Fox - Yiddishist, historian, and bon vivant - seek some solace from the news of a tragic week in the magnificent mosaic of Israeli music.

]]>01:00:01noThe "World Jews to Israel: "Quit Messing Up Our Game!"" EditionThu, 30 Jul 2015 14:17:59 +0000Noah, Ilene Prusher, and radio impresario Shoshi Shmuluvitz discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

World Jews to Israel: "Quit Messing Up Our Game!"

A new study finding that Jews around the world are ambivalent about how Israel uses force, and convinced that Israel’s sometimes ill-advised use of force in the occupied territories, and our failure to pursue peace in a serious way, put Jews around the world in danger. But isn’t Israel supposed to protect the Jewish People?

Playing Backgammon Alone

Another poll (the 6th Annual European Survey) finding – unsurprisingly -- that Israelis are very happy but also -- surprisingly -- that Israelis score lower than ever on "community well-being." Is the sense of community and solidarity that characterized Israel in its first generations now deteriorating? If so, why?

Are Smart Cities a Dumb Idea

Cisco and IBM have teamed up with the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality to make it one of the world’s "smartest" cities, with apps and electronic kiosks. Sounds great, but are digital cities are turning citizens into consumers, voters into buyers, and democracy into a sham of a shell of a simulacrum?

All this and the happy sounds of Ta’ani Esther, in honor of their just released album, Maskanot.

]]>Noah, Ilene Prusher, and radio impresario Shoshi Shmuluvitz discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

World Jews to Israel: "Quit Messing Up Our Game!"

A new study finding that Jews around the world are ambivalent about how Israel uses force, and convinced that Israel’s sometimes ill-advised use of force in the occupied territories, and our failure to pursue peace in a serious way, put Jews around the world in danger. But isn’t Israel supposed to protect the Jewish People?

Playing Backgammon Alone

Another poll (the 6th Annual European Survey) finding – unsurprisingly -- that Israelis are very happy but also -- surprisingly -- that Israelis score lower than ever on "community well-being." Is the sense of community and solidarity that characterized Israel in its first generations now deteriorating? If so, why?

Are Smart Cities a Dumb Idea

Cisco and IBM have teamed up with the Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipality to make it one of the world’s "smartest" cities, with apps and electronic kiosks. Sounds great, but are digital cities are turning citizens into consumers, voters into buyers, and democracy into a sham of a shell of a simulacrum?

All this and the happy sounds of Ta’ani Esther, in honor of their just released album, Maskanot.

]]>01:00:04noThe "How Far is J Street from my Street?" EditionThu, 23 Jul 2015 12:11:50 +0000Don, Noah, and special guest Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

How far is J Street from my street?

We discuss J Street’s upbeat campaign in support of the Iran deal, which leaves no room for the worry and ambivalence that most Israelis feel. Is a chasm spreading between the Israeli left and the American Pro-Israeli left?

The new face of Israel's opposition?

MK and Yesh Atid party head Yair Lapid is attempting to parlay PM Netanyahu’s failure to prevent the Iran deal into his own political asset. Is this the beginning of a campaign that will lead him to the Prime Minister’s residence?

The wages of compassion

Security experts have found that six Israelis have been killed by men released as part of the deal that brought Gilad Shalit back to his family three years ago. Should this grim calculus affect future Israeli hostage negotiations?

Songs from the new EP "Esek Mishpahti" ("Family Business") that just dropped this week, by pioneering Israeli M.C. Sagol 59 (Khen Rotem) and young rapper & producer Shiroto (Tomy Rotem). In addition to the musical simpatico of the two hip hop stars, they are also father & son!Shimiot ba-avirMaspikMatzav HeirumHip Hop

]]>Don, Noah, and special guest Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

How far is J Street from my street?

We discuss J Street’s upbeat campaign in support of the Iran deal, which leaves no room for the worry and ambivalence that most Israelis feel. Is a chasm spreading between the Israeli left and the American Pro-Israeli left?

The new face of Israel's opposition?

MK and Yesh Atid party head Yair Lapid is attempting to parlay PM Netanyahu’s failure to prevent the Iran deal into his own political asset. Is this the beginning of a campaign that will lead him to the Prime Minister’s residence?

The wages of compassion

Security experts have found that six Israelis have been killed by men released as part of the deal that brought Gilad Shalit back to his family three years ago. Should this grim calculus affect future Israeli hostage negotiations?

Songs from the new EP "Esek Mishpahti" ("Family Business") that just dropped this week, by pioneering Israeli M.C. Sagol 59 (Khen Rotem) and young rapper & producer Shiroto (Tomy Rotem). In addition to the musical simpatico of the two hip hop stars, they are also father & son!Shimiot ba-avirMaspikMatzav HeirumHip Hop

]]>01:01:48noThe "Apocalypse Soon?" EditionThu, 16 Jul 2015 10:41:44 +0000Don, Noah, and special guest Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Apocalypse Soon?

Since every other sentient being is discussing it today, we thought we'd join in: What does the Iran deal mean for Israel, its people, its politicians, its Prime Minister, and its relations with America? Is it time to start digging fallout shelters?

And here come the rabbis!

We discuss the recent, rollicking resurgence of the rabbis of the Knesset, who are trying to reverse liberalizing legislation on a whole host of issues. Is this a religious putsch by a junta of rabbis, or merely a reversion to the status quo?

An ode to hypocrisy

Mizrahi poet Roy Hasan has won the Bernstein Prize. We examine his recent poem that calls out Ashkenazim for hypocrisy, hegemony, and all-around ass-hole-itude. What should we, the Ashkenazi assholes, learn from these slings and arrows?

]]>Don, Noah, and special guest Miriam Herschlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Apocalypse Soon?

Since every other sentient being is discussing it today, we thought we'd join in: What does the Iran deal mean for Israel, its people, its politicians, its Prime Minister, and its relations with America? Is it time to start digging fallout shelters?

And here come the rabbis!

We discuss the recent, rollicking resurgence of the rabbis of the Knesset, who are trying to reverse liberalizing legislation on a whole host of issues. Is this a religious putsch by a junta of rabbis, or merely a reversion to the status quo?

An ode to hypocrisy

Mizrahi poet Roy Hasan has won the Bernstein Prize. We examine his recent poem that calls out Ashkenazim for hypocrisy, hegemony, and all-around ass-hole-itude. What should we, the Ashkenazi assholes, learn from these slings and arrows?

]]>01:00:02no"The Peace Movement Stirs?" EditionThu, 09 Jul 2015 11:08:35 +0000Don, Noah, and special guest Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Gas-holes!

We discuss the deal that gives the rights to the country’s natural gas windfall to American and Israeli corporate consortia, leading many to argue that PM Netanyahu, like Esau in the Bible, just sold off our birthright for a mess of pottage.

The peace movement stirs?

As we mark the one year anniversary of last summer’s tragic Gaza war, hundreds of women launch a symbolic hunger strike, and other peace initiatives compete for public attention. Is Israel’s peace movement showing signs of life?

Too hip for Hebrew?

As more of Israel’s best young musicians opt to forsake Hebrew in favor of the more commercial English, we ask whether Hebrew culture is endangered among the country’s hipperati.

]]>Don, Noah, and special guest Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Gas-holes!

We discuss the deal that gives the rights to the country’s natural gas windfall to American and Israeli corporate consortia, leading many to argue that PM Netanyahu, like Esau in the Bible, just sold off our birthright for a mess of pottage.

The peace movement stirs?

As we mark the one year anniversary of last summer’s tragic Gaza war, hundreds of women launch a symbolic hunger strike, and other peace initiatives compete for public attention. Is Israel’s peace movement showing signs of life?

Too hip for Hebrew?

As more of Israel’s best young musicians opt to forsake Hebrew in favor of the more commercial English, we ask whether Hebrew culture is endangered among the country’s hipperati.

]]>01:01:41noThe "Fox News for the Jews" EditionThu, 02 Jul 2015 11:09:17 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Fox News for the Jews

We discuss the Israel “Jewish Heritage Network” (Channel 20), which is morphing into a right-wing news network before our eyes. What does the addition of a local, right-wing partisan news organization auger for the country?

Princes of resentment

We discuss a fascinating new book that suggests the key to understanding Israeli politics may be the resentment felt by the children of a generation of right-wingers who were cruelly excluded from the institutions of the state when it was established.

Let Us Now Praise: Political hacks, functionaries & smoke-filled rooms

We discuss the claim of a Brookings Institution genius, Jonathan Rauch, that all America's efforts to do away with smoke-filled rooms is actually damaging its politics. Might something like that be true here in Israel as well?

All songs by LFNT (a short and fun way of saying "Elephant," and also a life philosophy hidden inside an acronym: Live Free Not Troubled):

The Birds And The BeesI Won’t TellChanceBetween Understanding And Salvation

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Fox News for the Jews

We discuss the Israel “Jewish Heritage Network” (Channel 20), which is morphing into a right-wing news network before our eyes. What does the addition of a local, right-wing partisan news organization auger for the country?

Princes of resentment

We discuss a fascinating new book that suggests the key to understanding Israeli politics may be the resentment felt by the children of a generation of right-wingers who were cruelly excluded from the institutions of the state when it was established.

Let Us Now Praise: Political hacks, functionaries & smoke-filled rooms

We discuss the claim of a Brookings Institution genius, Jonathan Rauch, that all America's efforts to do away with smoke-filled rooms is actually damaging its politics. Might something like that be true here in Israel as well?

All songs by LFNT (a short and fun way of saying "Elephant," and also a life philosophy hidden inside an acronym: Live Free Not Troubled):

The Birds And The BeesI Won’t TellChanceBetween Understanding And Salvation

]]>01:00:05noThe "War Crimes & Misdemeanors" EditionThu, 25 Jun 2015 12:57:42 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Oren unbound or Oren unhinged?

We discuss three essays by MK and former Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren, which surprised everyone, outraged many, and left the rest of us wondering how an ex-diplomat can be so, well, undiplomatic.

War crimes & misdemeanors

We discuss the report on last summer’s Gaza war, issued this week by the UN Commission on Human Rights, finding that both sides may have committed war crimes, and their leaders should be tried in the International Criminal Court.

Is this man the future of the Israeli left?

We take a look at Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor, Ron Huldai, who just told the press that he may challenge MK and opposition leader Yitzhak Herzog to become the new leader of the Labor party and the Left. Is the ex-fighter pilot and high school principal our best hope?

All songs by Erez, the 22-year-old jazz, R&B, and rock singer who just released her first album, "Proper Lady," and who rocked the “Groove” festival at the Tel Aviv port, for free, this past week:

ClichéBlending The UniverseWild, Sweet PlaceJust Another Color

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Oren unbound or Oren unhinged?

We discuss three essays by MK and former Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren, which surprised everyone, outraged many, and left the rest of us wondering how an ex-diplomat can be so, well, undiplomatic.

War crimes & misdemeanors

We discuss the report on last summer’s Gaza war, issued this week by the UN Commission on Human Rights, finding that both sides may have committed war crimes, and their leaders should be tried in the International Criminal Court.

Is this man the future of the Israeli left?

We take a look at Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor, Ron Huldai, who just told the press that he may challenge MK and opposition leader Yitzhak Herzog to become the new leader of the Labor party and the Left. Is the ex-fighter pilot and high school principal our best hope?

All songs by Erez, the 22-year-old jazz, R&B, and rock singer who just released her first album, "Proper Lady," and who rocked the “Groove” festival at the Tel Aviv port, for free, this past week:

ClichéBlending The UniverseWild, Sweet PlaceJust Another Color

]]>01:00:08noThe "2 States, 1 Homeland?" EditionThu, 18 Jun 2015 10:35:13 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

2 States, 1 Homeland?

There's another peace initiative proposing two states – Palestine & Israel – with no borders to separate. Palestinians will settle in ancestral homes in, say, Haifa. But, they live in Palestine but vote and pay taxes in Israel. Can such a scheme work in practice?

Israel’s Other Crisis

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon’s unveiled new proposals to solve Israel’s housing crisis. The proposals include a variety of measures all aimed at jimmying the free real estate markets.

Uncultured Wars

Minister of Culture and Sport, Miri Regev isn't a hometown favorite right now. She threatened to pull government funding from just about anything that offends her sensibilities. Furious artist types organize against what they call "anti-democratic censorship".

All this and a tribute to an Israeli cultural landmark, the hip-hop & rap radio show Jigga Juice, on the occasion of its fifth birthday!

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

2 States, 1 Homeland?

There's another peace initiative proposing two states – Palestine & Israel – with no borders to separate. Palestinians will settle in ancestral homes in, say, Haifa. But, they live in Palestine but vote and pay taxes in Israel. Can such a scheme work in practice?

Israel’s Other Crisis

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon’s unveiled new proposals to solve Israel’s housing crisis. The proposals include a variety of measures all aimed at jimmying the free real estate markets.

Uncultured Wars

Minister of Culture and Sport, Miri Regev isn't a hometown favorite right now. She threatened to pull government funding from just about anything that offends her sensibilities. Furious artist types organize against what they call "anti-democratic censorship".

All this and a tribute to an Israeli cultural landmark, the hip-hop & rap radio show Jigga Juice, on the occasion of its fifth birthday!

]]>01:01:21noThe "Everybody Hates the Jews!" editionThu, 11 Jun 2015 11:27:55 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The High Price of Hate

The Rand Corporation study found that the benefit of ending the Israel-Palestine conflict would be $123 billion for Israelis and $50 billion for Palestinians. Wow! With that money, we could buy Whatsapp, Waze, Skype & Instagram! But does knowing how much the conflict costs us bring us any closer to ending it?

Everybody Hates the Jews!

A poll found that 71% of Israelis think that the world has a double standard when it comes to criticizing Israel. Do most Israelis think that the whole world is against us? If so, how does that belief affect our politics?

Segregating the Sexes

A high school principal decides to separate the girls from the boys in advanced math classes, in hope that it’ll boost girls’ achievements. Some applaud this, others argue that in a society where some folks think that some buses should be segregated by sex, we must resist all segregation by sex. Is separating the girls from the boys a good idea?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The High Price of Hate

The Rand Corporation study found that the benefit of ending the Israel-Palestine conflict would be $123 billion for Israelis and $50 billion for Palestinians. Wow! With that money, we could buy Whatsapp, Waze, Skype & Instagram! But does knowing how much the conflict costs us bring us any closer to ending it?

Everybody Hates the Jews!

A poll found that 71% of Israelis think that the world has a double standard when it comes to criticizing Israel. Do most Israelis think that the whole world is against us? If so, how does that belief affect our politics?

Segregating the Sexes

A high school principal decides to separate the girls from the boys in advanced math classes, in hope that it’ll boost girls’ achievements. Some applaud this, others argue that in a society where some folks think that some buses should be segregated by sex, we must resist all segregation by sex. Is separating the girls from the boys a good idea?

]]>01:00:04noThe "Blatt, Blatter & Blattest" EditionThu, 04 Jun 2015 10:22:01 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

FIFA = “Frankly, Israel Foments Apartheid”?

We discuss the brouhaha over a Palestinian proposal to expel Israel from the international football association, FIFA, and the suggestion of some leftists that Israel deserves to be expelled. Do they have a point or are they just spoiled sports?

IDF = “Impeding Democracy Fulsomely”?

We discuss two recent trials of IDF soldiers, one charged with mouthing off against the occupation on German TV, and the other charged with - wait for it - eating a ham sandwich. Is the army enforcing the ideological agenda of the new government?

BFF = “(You) Better F*cking Fail”?

We discuss an intriguing essay by Ari Shavit, pointing out that when Cleveland Cavaliers coach, American-Israeli David Blatt, coached in Israel, we couldn’t have been meaner to the guy. Are we Israelis unable to appreciate each other’s achievements?

Playlist:

All songs by Labrador Laboratories, in honor of their show this week at Levontin 7:

Dance All Night In The RainLonely TribesWhat A MessGoing underground

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

FIFA = “Frankly, Israel Foments Apartheid”?

We discuss the brouhaha over a Palestinian proposal to expel Israel from the international football association, FIFA, and the suggestion of some leftists that Israel deserves to be expelled. Do they have a point or are they just spoiled sports?

IDF = “Impeding Democracy Fulsomely”?

We discuss two recent trials of IDF soldiers, one charged with mouthing off against the occupation on German TV, and the other charged with - wait for it - eating a ham sandwich. Is the army enforcing the ideological agenda of the new government?

BFF = “(You) Better F*cking Fail”?

We discuss an intriguing essay by Ari Shavit, pointing out that when Cleveland Cavaliers coach, American-Israeli David Blatt, coached in Israel, we couldn’t have been meaner to the guy. Are we Israelis unable to appreciate each other’s achievements?

Playlist:

All songs by Labrador Laboratories, in honor of their show this week at Levontin 7:

Dance All Night In The RainLonely TribesWhat A MessGoing underground

]]>01:00:12noThe "Labor’s Loser?!?" EditionThu, 28 May 2015 12:19:20 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The anti-social network

We discuss the tragedy of a government bureaucrat who, accused on Facebook of racism against an African-American woman seeking his help, shot himself in the head this week. Is the power of social network rage something we need to tamp?

The legacy of leaving Lebanon

On the 15th anniversary of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from its self-declared “security zone” in southern Lebanon, we ask what imprint the occupation and withdrawal left on today's world. Was the withdrawal a heroic turning point in Israeli political history?

Labor’s Loser?!?

We discuss the documentary, “Herzog,” which aired this week and led journalists and politicians to pile onto Labor Party leader Isaac Herzog. What do we learn from the film about the leader of opposition, who still hopes to one day be Prime Minister?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The anti-social network

We discuss the tragedy of a government bureaucrat who, accused on Facebook of racism against an African-American woman seeking his help, shot himself in the head this week. Is the power of social network rage something we need to tamp?

The legacy of leaving Lebanon

On the 15th anniversary of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from its self-declared “security zone” in southern Lebanon, we ask what imprint the occupation and withdrawal left on today's world. Was the withdrawal a heroic turning point in Israeli political history?

Labor’s Loser?!?

We discuss the documentary, “Herzog,” which aired this week and led journalists and politicians to pile onto Labor Party leader Isaac Herzog. What do we learn from the film about the leader of opposition, who still hopes to one day be Prime Minister?

]]>01:01:40noThe "Short Trip from Cradle to Grave" EditionThu, 21 May 2015 14:19:33 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Netanyahu’s Ministry of Magic?

We discuss the odd new ministerial alchemy that produced a “Minister of Space” and other strange concatenations. Did PM Netanyahu create bullshit ministries for bullshit reasons, destined to produce bullshit results - all to silence critics and reward friends?

Religious fanatics or Godless heathens?

A world-wide poll recently carried out by the WIN/Gallup Organization found that Israel is one of the least religious countries in the world. This conflicts with other findings - that in Israel religion is very important to most, growing more important by the day.

Short trip from cradle to grave

We discuss the ultra-Orthodox woman from Bnei Brak, who through the first 46 years of marriage was unable to conceive, and who achieved the positively biblical feat of giving birth to her first child at the age of 65. Is Israel a little too baby crazy?

Playlist:

All songs by Shelly & Rotem, in honor of their show this week at Levontin 7. Their EP, Between Shores, is on Bandcamp.

East BerlinMaps (Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs Cover)Streaming LowBells In My Head

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Netanyahu’s Ministry of Magic?

We discuss the odd new ministerial alchemy that produced a “Minister of Space” and other strange concatenations. Did PM Netanyahu create bullshit ministries for bullshit reasons, destined to produce bullshit results - all to silence critics and reward friends?

Religious fanatics or Godless heathens?

A world-wide poll recently carried out by the WIN/Gallup Organization found that Israel is one of the least religious countries in the world. This conflicts with other findings - that in Israel religion is very important to most, growing more important by the day.

Short trip from cradle to grave

We discuss the ultra-Orthodox woman from Bnei Brak, who through the first 46 years of marriage was unable to conceive, and who achieved the positively biblical feat of giving birth to her first child at the age of 65. Is Israel a little too baby crazy?

Playlist:

All songs by Shelly & Rotem, in honor of their show this week at Levontin 7. Their EP, Between Shores, is on Bandcamp.

East BerlinMaps (Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs Cover)Streaming LowBells In My Head

]]>01:00:03noJews (not?) welcome: The campus, the Negev, and JerusalemThu, 14 May 2015 15:37:14 +0000Allison, Don, and Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

BDS bummer on campus

We discuss the spread of the BDS movement on American college campuses, feeding off last summer’s Gaza War. Student councils and minority activist groups are demanding divestment from Israel while telling Jewish students they are privileged whites.

Will Negev Bedouins have to make way for the Jews?

A high court ruling allows plans to go forward to demolish a 60-year-old Bedouin village in the Negev in order to establish a new Jewish town in its place. We’ll ask what these rulings portend for Jewish-Arab relations in Israel and the direction of the High Court.

An Ode to Jerusalem, unified and disunited on Jerusalem Day

As Jerusalem Day arrives, celebrating the reunification of the city during the Six-Day War, our panel tries to look past the violence that rocked the city less than a year ago, and we consider our own evolving relationship to Israel’s capital.

Playlist:

All songs by Ehud Banai (the most gifted musical Banai of all)

Ani HolechHayomMaaseh B’arbaahCmo Tzippor V’Shira

]]>Allison, Don, and Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

BDS bummer on campus

We discuss the spread of the BDS movement on American college campuses, feeding off last summer’s Gaza War. Student councils and minority activist groups are demanding divestment from Israel while telling Jewish students they are privileged whites.

Will Negev Bedouins have to make way for the Jews?

A high court ruling allows plans to go forward to demolish a 60-year-old Bedouin village in the Negev in order to establish a new Jewish town in its place. We’ll ask what these rulings portend for Jewish-Arab relations in Israel and the direction of the High Court.

An Ode to Jerusalem, unified and disunited on Jerusalem Day

As Jerusalem Day arrives, celebrating the reunification of the city during the Six-Day War, our panel tries to look past the violence that rocked the city less than a year ago, and we consider our own evolving relationship to Israel’s capital.

Playlist:

All songs by Ehud Banai (the most gifted musical Banai of all)

Ani HolechHayomMaaseh B’arbaahCmo Tzippor V’Shira

]]>01:00:11noThe 'Days of Rage & Race' EditionThu, 07 May 2015 11:14:31 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Days of rage and race

We discuss the video of police officers assaulting a kid of Ethiopian descent in IDF uniform. It unleashed a wave of angry protests about police brutality against Ethiopian Israelis, and more broadly about a racism few of us here have looked squarely in the face.

A government of Rabbis, Rightists, and a Reformer

We discuss just what we might expect from the new coalition of 61 that Prime Minister Netanyahu cobbled together at the last minute. What kinds of policies are on the horizon?

Breaking ranks

We discuss a new report by leftist NGO Breaking the Silence, containing excerpts of interviews with 60 soldiers who fought in the Gaza War last summer. What, if anything, can we learn from its troubling conclusions?

Playlist:

All songs by young Ethiopian-Israeli hip hop singers because, well, you know.

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Days of rage and race

We discuss the video of police officers assaulting a kid of Ethiopian descent in IDF uniform. It unleashed a wave of angry protests about police brutality against Ethiopian Israelis, and more broadly about a racism few of us here have looked squarely in the face.

A government of Rabbis, Rightists, and a Reformer

We discuss just what we might expect from the new coalition of 61 that Prime Minister Netanyahu cobbled together at the last minute. What kinds of policies are on the horizon?

Breaking ranks

We discuss a new report by leftist NGO Breaking the Silence, containing excerpts of interviews with 60 soldiers who fought in the Gaza War last summer. What, if anything, can we learn from its troubling conclusions?

Playlist:

All songs by young Ethiopian-Israeli hip hop singers because, well, you know.

]]>01:01:53noGirls just wanna have guns! Thu, 30 Apr 2015 11:54:31 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The wages of boycott

We discuss the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold a law that will make Israelis who advocate boycotts against Israeli businesses or institutions liable for any damages that result. Have the courts just criminalized free speech?

Girls just wanna have guns!

We analyze new findings that Israeli women are more hawkish than Israeli men. For instance, they are less favorably inclined to a Palestinian State, and more favorably inclined to spending more on the army. But they're also more likely to support social programs.

Will Judaism survive Israel?

We discuss Tomer Persico's much-discussed Haaretz essay, in which he claims that the growing dichotomy between Judaism and democracy in Israel is “one disaster that Judaism will not survive.” Yikes. Does he have a point?

Playlist:

All songs off the great new Israeli homage to David Bowie, “Bowie from Here”

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The wages of boycott

We discuss the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold a law that will make Israelis who advocate boycotts against Israeli businesses or institutions liable for any damages that result. Have the courts just criminalized free speech?

Girls just wanna have guns!

We analyze new findings that Israeli women are more hawkish than Israeli men. For instance, they are less favorably inclined to a Palestinian State, and more favorably inclined to spending more on the army. But they're also more likely to support social programs.

Will Judaism survive Israel?

We discuss Tomer Persico's much-discussed Haaretz essay, in which he claims that the growing dichotomy between Judaism and democracy in Israel is “one disaster that Judaism will not survive.” Yikes. Does he have a point?

Playlist:

All songs off the great new Israeli homage to David Bowie, “Bowie from Here”

]]>01:01:43noThe Shabby Shenanigan of Shimon ShillingWed, 22 Apr 2015 14:12:56 +0000Don, Noah, and special guest Debra Kamin discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Pillorying Peres for pilfering

We discuss whether former PM and President Shimon Peres deserves to be pilloried for shilling for Israel’s richest and most rapacious bank, Bank HaPoalim, in exchange for $30,000 a month. “Say it ain't so! Tell us we're dreamin', Shimon!”

The Culture Wars: "Burn, baby, burn!"

We discuss an essay by brilliant journalist, writer, cultural critic, screenwriter, and documentary film maker Nissan Shor, arguing that Israel is in flames, but the best thing to do is bring a bag of marshmallows and develop our appetite for destruction.

Celebrating Israel in the Age of Ambivalence

We ask how Independence Day should be celebrated in 2015, an age when ponderous ceremonies and jets-flying-overhead-in-formation may not be the sources of inspiration they once were, and when ambivalence saturates the land.

Playlist:

All songs by Arik Einstein, in honor of Yom Haatzmaut!

Sa Le’atHabalada Shel Yoel Moshe SolomonAni ve-AtaYesh Bi Ahavah

]]>Don, Noah, and special guest Debra Kamin discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Pillorying Peres for pilfering

We discuss whether former PM and President Shimon Peres deserves to be pilloried for shilling for Israel’s richest and most rapacious bank, Bank HaPoalim, in exchange for $30,000 a month. “Say it ain't so! Tell us we're dreamin', Shimon!”

The Culture Wars: "Burn, baby, burn!"

We discuss an essay by brilliant journalist, writer, cultural critic, screenwriter, and documentary film maker Nissan Shor, arguing that Israel is in flames, but the best thing to do is bring a bag of marshmallows and develop our appetite for destruction.

Celebrating Israel in the Age of Ambivalence

We ask how Independence Day should be celebrated in 2015, an age when ponderous ceremonies and jets-flying-overhead-in-formation may not be the sources of inspiration they once were, and when ambivalence saturates the land.

Playlist:

All songs by Arik Einstein, in honor of Yom Haatzmaut!

Sa Le’atHabalada Shel Yoel Moshe SolomonAni ve-AtaYesh Bi Ahavah

]]>01:01:08noThe "Coalition Proposition Disquisition" EditionThu, 16 Apr 2015 11:10:50 +0000Allison, Ilene, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Coalition proposition disquisition

We discuss the dilemma facing opposition leader Isaac Herzog: Is opposition a form of perdition? Is joining the coalition electoral sedition demanding contrition? In short, should the center-left consider joining a coalition led by PM Netanyahu?

The bio-matrix

We discuss whether Israel ought to require all citizens to swap our old-fashioned identify cards and passports for new “biometric” ones that may enhance our security at the cost of our privacy.

Relearning to remember

We discuss how we ought to remember the greatest tragedy to befall the Jewish people, as it recedes into history and the presence of survivors grows less with each passing year.

]]>Allison, Ilene, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Coalition proposition disquisition

We discuss the dilemma facing opposition leader Isaac Herzog: Is opposition a form of perdition? Is joining the coalition electoral sedition demanding contrition? In short, should the center-left consider joining a coalition led by PM Netanyahu?

The bio-matrix

We discuss whether Israel ought to require all citizens to swap our old-fashioned identify cards and passports for new “biometric” ones that may enhance our security at the cost of our privacy.

Relearning to remember

We discuss how we ought to remember the greatest tragedy to befall the Jewish people, as it recedes into history and the presence of survivors grows less with each passing year.

How Leftist Israelis ought to react to the framework agreement limiting Iran's military nuclear program, but leaving the country (which, as we speak, is hosting a Holocaust denial cartoon contest) with lots of uranium and lots of centrifuges to process it at a future date.

Trailing off

Is Israel's culture of hiking the land is imperiled as the Zionist ethos that gave birth to it is itself waning.

So much to protest, so little protest music?

Whether, as one music critic has just written, Israeli pop music is hopelessly and cluelessly apolitical and navel-gazing.

Playlist:

All songs by OSOG – On the Shoulders of Giants – in honor of their Headstart campaign to fund their new album!

How Leftist Israelis ought to react to the framework agreement limiting Iran's military nuclear program, but leaving the country (which, as we speak, is hosting a Holocaust denial cartoon contest) with lots of uranium and lots of centrifuges to process it at a future date.

Trailing off

Is Israel's culture of hiking the land is imperiled as the Zionist ethos that gave birth to it is itself waning.

So much to protest, so little protest music?

Whether, as one music critic has just written, Israeli pop music is hopelessly and cluelessly apolitical and navel-gazing.

Playlist:

All songs by OSOG – On the Shoulders of Giants – in honor of their Headstart campaign to fund their new album!

Sweet MelodySymphony Of TreesWake Up In A JacuzziUnder My Ukelele

]]>01:00:54noHow do you solve a problem like Ted Cruz?Thu, 02 Apr 2015 09:47:30 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

How do you solve a problem like Ted Cruz?

The love bomb Ted Cruz tossed in Israel’s direction as he declared his candidacy for the US Presidency at Liberty College. How does “Support Israel!” fit with “Ban Abortion!,” “Guns for All!,” and “Abolish the IRS!”?

Keeping the Generals in their Barracks?

A recent petition saying that ex-generals are politicizing the army when they try to use their positions to influence Israeli politics.

Why is this Podcast different from all other podcasts?

What should we tell our kids about the meaning of the Exodus story now, in Israel of 2015?

Playlist:

Habanot Nechama-So Far/LehiyotYaFlowersLies

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

How do you solve a problem like Ted Cruz?

The love bomb Ted Cruz tossed in Israel’s direction as he declared his candidacy for the US Presidency at Liberty College. How does “Support Israel!” fit with “Ban Abortion!,” “Guns for All!,” and “Abolish the IRS!”?

Keeping the Generals in their Barracks?

A recent petition saying that ex-generals are politicizing the army when they try to use their positions to influence Israeli politics.

Why is this Podcast different from all other podcasts?

What should we tell our kids about the meaning of the Exodus story now, in Israel of 2015?

Playlist:

Habanot Nechama-So Far/LehiyotYaFlowersLies

]]>01:00:14noThe "Angry, Angry Ashkenazim" EditionThu, 26 Mar 2015 11:31:02 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Let the pressure begin?

We discuss Peter Beinart's proposal that it's time for American Jews to lobby the US government to pressure and punish Israel, channeling the Piper Chapman dictum, “Bitches gots to learn.”

"V" for "vanquished" (and you thought it was for "victory"!)

We discuss former defense minister Moshe Arens' assertion that the left’s "anyone-but-Bibi" campaign is what cost them the election, by making Netanyahu seem like an unfairly maligned neophyte.

Angry, angry Ashkenazim

We ask why one white leftist after another expresses crazy rage in crazy ways against the Mizrahi voters who came out to support Netanyahu; why do us privileged folks have so much spleen?

Playlist:

All songs from the hip collection of Mizrahi women artists, “Bat Makom 2”:

]]>01:00:24noWe-the-People have spoken! (What the hell did we say?)Thu, 19 Mar 2015 12:19:36 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

We-the-People have spoken! (What the hell did we say?)

Allison, Don, and Noah discuss what these elections said, if anything, about the hearts and minds of Israeli voters: Headlines from Tel Aviv to Timbuktu have said that PM Netanyahu won in a landslide, but did he really?

Fear! Uh! What is it good for?

We discuss the fear and fear-mongering at the heart of the election campaigns: Was PM Netanyahu a diabolical genius who played up, played on, and played with our fears, or was he just addressing our deepest concerns?

What the hell do we do now?

We discuss what the left should do now, as it faces several years in the opposition. Elections are like Adam Sandler movies: There's always another coming soon. So what does the left need to do to be ready for the next one?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

We-the-People have spoken! (What the hell did we say?)

Allison, Don, and Noah discuss what these elections said, if anything, about the hearts and minds of Israeli voters: Headlines from Tel Aviv to Timbuktu have said that PM Netanyahu won in a landslide, but did he really?

Fear! Uh! What is it good for?

We discuss the fear and fear-mongering at the heart of the election campaigns: Was PM Netanyahu a diabolical genius who played up, played on, and played with our fears, or was he just addressing our deepest concerns?

What the hell do we do now?

We discuss what the left should do now, as it faces several years in the opposition. Elections are like Adam Sandler movies: There's always another coming soon. So what does the left need to do to be ready for the next one?

]]>01:00:31no#IsraElex: The mourning after Bibi’s near-death experienceWed, 18 Mar 2015 07:20:16 +0000Listen to our special election panel with Noah Efron, Debra Kamin, and Gil Troy as they break down the surprising overnight results.]]>Listen to our special election panel with Noah Efron, Debra Kamin, and Gil Troy as they break down the surprising overnight results.]]>01:02:43noThe "Thou Shalt Not be a Dick!" EditionThu, 12 Mar 2015 13:47:06 +0000Don, Noah, and Allison discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Behind the Curtain

We discuss the imminent elections and our expectations. For whom will we be casting our ballots? Why do we support that list? What do we think (or perhaps hope) will be the eventual outcome?

Surprise! No Prize!

Generally considered the country’s highest honor, the Israel Prize is awarded annually on Independence Day. This year the prize will be awarded in only three of its four categories. Why did this occur? Who is to blame?

Thou shall not be a total dick

An NGO called Gesher (or Bridge) recently produced a video which, as part of a “new ten commandments” they’ve formulated, encourages more friendly interactions among politicians. The video includes MKs saying and writing nice things about colleagues across the aisle.

Playlist:

All music by La Vache Qui Rit (הפרה הצוחקת) in honor of their show this week at Ha-Azor:

Opa Cupa (Gypsy Serbia)

Besena Rovena (Gypsy Albania)

Tchavo (Gypsy Manouche)

Disapozhkelekh (Trad. Ukraine)

]]>Don, Noah, and Allison discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Behind the Curtain

We discuss the imminent elections and our expectations. For whom will we be casting our ballots? Why do we support that list? What do we think (or perhaps hope) will be the eventual outcome?

Surprise! No Prize!

Generally considered the country’s highest honor, the Israel Prize is awarded annually on Independence Day. This year the prize will be awarded in only three of its four categories. Why did this occur? Who is to blame?

Thou shall not be a total dick

An NGO called Gesher (or Bridge) recently produced a video which, as part of a “new ten commandments” they’ve formulated, encourages more friendly interactions among politicians. The video includes MKs saying and writing nice things about colleagues across the aisle.

Playlist:

All music by La Vache Qui Rit (הפרה הצוחקת) in honor of their show this week at Ha-Azor:

Opa Cupa (Gypsy Serbia)

Besena Rovena (Gypsy Albania)

Tchavo (Gypsy Manouche)

Disapozhkelekh (Trad. Ukraine)

]]>01:00:02noDeath, Tyranny & the Pursuit of Jihad in the US CongressThu, 05 Mar 2015 12:19:49 +0000Don, Noah, and Allison discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Death, Tyranny & the Pursuit of Jihad in the US Congress

We discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu's much-anticipated speech to the combined houses of the United States Congress. Did it accomplish anything with Iran? In the end, did it strengthen or weaken Netanhayu? How about Israel, the country he’s paid to captain?

Shakespeare vs. Shlonski: Does the Anglo vote matter?

Why are English speakers becoming the darlings of the political class? Is there really an “Anglo-Saxon” vote that carries any weight in Israel?

Our forefathers were Adam and Eve, not apes

Haartez asked political party leaders what they think about religion & science. While many supported science, Darwin wasn't as popular as we thought.

Playlist:

All songs by the 1840s

I’ve Always Wanted To

Queen of the Sky

Rainbow

No

]]>Don, Noah, and Allison discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Death, Tyranny & the Pursuit of Jihad in the US Congress

We discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu's much-anticipated speech to the combined houses of the United States Congress. Did it accomplish anything with Iran? In the end, did it strengthen or weaken Netanhayu? How about Israel, the country he’s paid to captain?

Shakespeare vs. Shlonski: Does the Anglo vote matter?

Why are English speakers becoming the darlings of the political class? Is there really an “Anglo-Saxon” vote that carries any weight in Israel?

Our forefathers were Adam and Eve, not apes

Haartez asked political party leaders what they think about religion & science. While many supported science, Darwin wasn't as popular as we thought.

Playlist:

All songs by the 1840s

I’ve Always Wanted To

Queen of the Sky

Rainbow

No

]]>01:00:18noThe 'Collecting Jews' EditionWed, 25 Feb 2015 10:51:23 +0000Don, Noah, and special guest Judy Maltz (Haaretz reporter and documentary director) discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Who gives a f*ck about a returned bottle?

We discuss the State Comptroller's report, which details the profound profligacies and petty corruptions of the first family, including spending over 3000 shekels a day on cleaning. While it may be douche-baggery, is such behavior really an election issue?

Collect Jews: Win valuable prizes!

Judy Maltz's riveting essay in this week's Haaretz describes the ingathering to Israel of a small and exotic sect of “lost Jews” in India called the Bnei Menashe. We ask, is it time to stop seeking lost or threatened Jews in the hope of dragging their asses to Israel?

Important breaking news about Bissli

Israeli digital newspapers increasingly mix disguised ads among the legitimate and unpaid content. They are turning to Advertorials, or branded content, as a way of balancing their budgets. We ask, is it time to “stop worrying and learn to love the Advertorial?”

Playlist:

All songs by Marsh Dondurma, in honor of the brassy and joyful sound they produced at Ha-Azor this week:

]]>Don, Noah, and special guest Judy Maltz (Haaretz reporter and documentary director) discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Who gives a f*ck about a returned bottle?

We discuss the State Comptroller's report, which details the profound profligacies and petty corruptions of the first family, including spending over 3000 shekels a day on cleaning. While it may be douche-baggery, is such behavior really an election issue?

Collect Jews: Win valuable prizes!

Judy Maltz's riveting essay in this week's Haaretz describes the ingathering to Israel of a small and exotic sect of “lost Jews” in India called the Bnei Menashe. We ask, is it time to stop seeking lost or threatened Jews in the hope of dragging their asses to Israel?

Important breaking news about Bissli

Israeli digital newspapers increasingly mix disguised ads among the legitimate and unpaid content. They are turning to Advertorials, or branded content, as a way of balancing their budgets. We ask, is it time to “stop worrying and learn to love the Advertorial?”

Playlist:

All songs by Marsh Dondurma, in honor of the brassy and joyful sound they produced at Ha-Azor this week:

]]>01:00:25noScenes from the Class Wars, Culture Wars, and Ideology WarsThu, 19 Feb 2015 08:57:42 +0000Allison, Noah, and special guest Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Ideological warfare

We discuss a remarkable new election video posted by the Shomron Settlers’ Council, which finds its place alongside new ads by PM Netanyahu suggesting that Leftists will invite the Islamic State to overrun Jerusalem.

Class warfare

We discuss the election campaign of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, which says, among other things, “If you live in Ramat Aviv don’t vote for us, but if you work for those heartless bastards do vote for us.”

Political warfare

We discuss the decision to bar two candidates from running for the Knesset this week: Balad MK Haneen Zoabi and Yachad prospective MK Baruch Marzel. One is an anti-Zionist Hamas-sympathizing Palestinian, the other an ultra-nationalist former Meir Kahana acolyte.

Playlist:

All songs by Indiana, in honor of their show this week with the hippest band in Holon, Ha-Zeevot, at E.P.G.B in Tel Aviv.

WonderlandBlack JackIt's all On UAt Margiah Oti

]]>Allison, Noah, and special guest Ilene Prusher discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Ideological warfare

We discuss a remarkable new election video posted by the Shomron Settlers’ Council, which finds its place alongside new ads by PM Netanyahu suggesting that Leftists will invite the Islamic State to overrun Jerusalem.

Class warfare

We discuss the election campaign of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, which says, among other things, “If you live in Ramat Aviv don’t vote for us, but if you work for those heartless bastards do vote for us.”

Political warfare

We discuss the decision to bar two candidates from running for the Knesset this week: Balad MK Haneen Zoabi and Yachad prospective MK Baruch Marzel. One is an anti-Zionist Hamas-sympathizing Palestinian, the other an ultra-nationalist former Meir Kahana acolyte.

Playlist:

All songs by Indiana, in honor of their show this week with the hippest band in Holon, Ha-Zeevot, at E.P.G.B in Tel Aviv.

WonderlandBlack JackIt's all On UAt Margiah Oti

]]>01:01:28noThe “Jumpin’ Hegemony” EditionWed, 11 Feb 2015 15:40:06 +0000Allison, Don, Miriam Hershlag, and Noah discuss (1) Why Mizrahim shun the Left (hint: It’s the oppression, stupid!), (2) the perhaps growing phenomenon of tourists who come seeking not to see the country’s sites of historic and cultural wonder, but rather, the sites of conflict and oppression: Why is this happening, and is it a good or bad thing?, and (3) As the Ministry of Education spends tens of millions to fund what is essentially a huge nationwide bookclub to read the Bible in an initiative called 929, we ask if it’s money we’ll spent, with some of us enchanted by this projects, and others of us a little repulsed.

All this and hardcore klezmer from Kfar Saba with Ramzailech!!

Songs:Fir ZinShtetleAmzalegAl Titakni Oti

]]>Allison, Don, Miriam Hershlag, and Noah discuss (1) Why Mizrahim shun the Left (hint: It’s the oppression, stupid!), (2) the perhaps growing phenomenon of tourists who come seeking not to see the country’s sites of historic and cultural wonder, but rather, the sites of conflict and oppression: Why is this happening, and is it a good or bad thing?, and (3) As the Ministry of Education spends tens of millions to fund what is essentially a huge nationwide bookclub to read the Bible in an initiative called 929, we ask if it’s money we’ll spent, with some of us enchanted by this projects, and others of us a little repulsed.

All this and hardcore klezmer from Kfar Saba with Ramzailech!!

Songs:Fir ZinShtetleAmzalegAl Titakni Oti

]]>01:01:13noPoking Obama in the eye?Wed, 04 Feb 2015 10:31:20 +0000Allison, Noah, and special guest Miriam Hershlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Poking Obama in the Eye?

We discuss PM Netanyahu’s decision to address the US Congress two weeks before Israeli elections, which has left President Obama livid, congressional democrats in despair, Israel’s US Ambassador discredited, and domestic political opponents outraged.

To V or not to V?

We discuss the probity of V15, a foreign-funded, get-out-the-vote NGO dedicated to removing PM Netanyahu from office, which has kicked up an election-time storm.

Left behind

We discuss Meretz and its leader Zahava Gal-On, as part of our continuing series of discussions about the parties and individuals at the heart of these elections. Is Meretz spending its advertising shekels wisely?

Playlist:

All songs by Ha-Trempistim, on the occasion of the launch of their 2nd album and the tour that goes with it

]]>Allison, Noah, and special guest Miriam Hershlag discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Poking Obama in the Eye?

We discuss PM Netanyahu’s decision to address the US Congress two weeks before Israeli elections, which has left President Obama livid, congressional democrats in despair, Israel’s US Ambassador discredited, and domestic political opponents outraged.

To V or not to V?

We discuss the probity of V15, a foreign-funded, get-out-the-vote NGO dedicated to removing PM Netanyahu from office, which has kicked up an election-time storm.

Left behind

We discuss Meretz and its leader Zahava Gal-On, as part of our continuing series of discussions about the parties and individuals at the heart of these elections. Is Meretz spending its advertising shekels wisely?

Playlist:

All songs by Ha-Trempistim, on the occasion of the launch of their 2nd album and the tour that goes with it

]]>01:01:39noThe “Hell is Other People” EditionWed, 28 Jan 2015 13:57:21 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Pour encourager les autres

We discuss the decision of the Israeli Steimatzky bookstore chain to cancel a “Charlie Hebdo” event, in which they had planned to sell a shipment of the post-massacre issue. Should offensive cartoons be in our face?

The merger of Israel's Arab parties: An historic unification?

We discuss what the historic unification of three Arab parties and one joint Arab-Jewish party augers for Israeli politics. Can the Balad-Ra’am-Ta’al-Hadash list, which incorporates such opposing ideologies, succeed?

Israeli elections 2015: Hell is other people

We ask what it says about the state of Israeli politics today that this election is shaping up to be about which bastard not to vote for.

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Pour encourager les autres

We discuss the decision of the Israeli Steimatzky bookstore chain to cancel a “Charlie Hebdo” event, in which they had planned to sell a shipment of the post-massacre issue. Should offensive cartoons be in our face?

The merger of Israel's Arab parties: An historic unification?

We discuss what the historic unification of three Arab parties and one joint Arab-Jewish party augers for Israeli politics. Can the Balad-Ra’am-Ta’al-Hadash list, which incorporates such opposing ideologies, succeed?

Israeli elections 2015: Hell is other people

We ask what it says about the state of Israeli politics today that this election is shaping up to be about which bastard not to vote for.

]]>01:00:37noThe 'Where are the Women?' EditionWed, 21 Jan 2015 09:49:46 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Of Labor glossed

We discuss the Labor Party primaries, which produced a list of candidates that is youngish, Ashkenazi-ish, female-ish, and socially-aware-ish. But has the party made a mistake by combining two agendas: Distributive justice and territorial compromise?

Women in Israel: The seen and the unseen

We discuss whether or not an ultra-Orthodox paper photoshopping Angela Merkel out of a picture of the heads-of-state at the Paris solidarity march says something important about the status of women in Israel.

Which side are you on?

We discuss a new Foreign Ministry propaganda video that says, basically, “Give us a break, you know that Israel is the good guy and Islam is the enemy.” Does it highlight a basic truth that often gets lost in the debate, or is it self-serving claptrap?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Of Labor glossed

We discuss the Labor Party primaries, which produced a list of candidates that is youngish, Ashkenazi-ish, female-ish, and socially-aware-ish. But has the party made a mistake by combining two agendas: Distributive justice and territorial compromise?

Women in Israel: The seen and the unseen

We discuss whether or not an ultra-Orthodox paper photoshopping Angela Merkel out of a picture of the heads-of-state at the Paris solidarity march says something important about the status of women in Israel.

Which side are you on?

We discuss a new Foreign Ministry propaganda video that says, basically, “Give us a break, you know that Israel is the good guy and Islam is the enemy.” Does it highlight a basic truth that often gets lost in the debate, or is it self-serving claptrap?

We discuss the crass response of Israel's leaders to the Paris terror attacks, a kind of double-pronged 'I told you so' - to Europe's leaders regarding the threat of radical Islam and to diaspora Jews about the lures of the Holy Land in an anti-semitic world.

Spotlight on Moshe Kahlon

We ask: What makes the leader of the new 'Kulanu' party tick? He's tacking to the center, but will that be where he stays after the elections? He promises to break monopolies and make the country safe for the consumer - a kind of 'Marx of the mall.'

Thinking about thinking about same-sex marriage

Does Naftali Bennett's religious party suffer from 'Jewish Home-ophobia'? Why did the party release a video of its candidates giving their opinions on same-sex marriage? None of them supported it, of course, but civil union was mentioned by some.

Playlist:

All songs by Lior Shoov, in honor of her brilliant show at the OzenBar this week, and her sell-out show at Ha-Azor.

We discuss the crass response of Israel's leaders to the Paris terror attacks, a kind of double-pronged 'I told you so' - to Europe's leaders regarding the threat of radical Islam and to diaspora Jews about the lures of the Holy Land in an anti-semitic world.

Spotlight on Moshe Kahlon

We ask: What makes the leader of the new 'Kulanu' party tick? He's tacking to the center, but will that be where he stays after the elections? He promises to break monopolies and make the country safe for the consumer - a kind of 'Marx of the mall.'

Thinking about thinking about same-sex marriage

Does Naftali Bennett's religious party suffer from 'Jewish Home-ophobia'? Why did the party release a video of its candidates giving their opinions on same-sex marriage? None of them supported it, of course, but civil union was mentioned by some.

Playlist:

All songs by Lior Shoov, in honor of her brilliant show at the OzenBar this week, and her sell-out show at Ha-Azor.

]]>01:01:35noThe "losing faith" editionWed, 07 Jan 2015 13:32:54 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Tax and shend

We discuss the decision of the Israeli government to withhold half a billion shekels of Palestinian tax money. Is this just one of a bunch of clever strategies Israel can employ at will, or does it show that in international diplomacy we are plum out of ideas?

Losing faith

The Israel Democracy Institute's annual report shows that Israelis are losing faith in all their institutions, save the army. Why should this be? Why do Arab Israelis trust the police more than any other institution except the Supreme Court?

Primary education

The recent Likud primary produced a list of candidates some have hailed as a great improvement. We ask whether the parties that pick their Knesset candidates through democratic primaries produce better results than the parties run by autocrats.

Playlist:

All songs by The Betty Bears, in honor of their kick-ass show ringing in the New Year at the Pasáž!

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Tax and shend

We discuss the decision of the Israeli government to withhold half a billion shekels of Palestinian tax money. Is this just one of a bunch of clever strategies Israel can employ at will, or does it show that in international diplomacy we are plum out of ideas?

Losing faith

The Israel Democracy Institute's annual report shows that Israelis are losing faith in all their institutions, save the army. Why should this be? Why do Arab Israelis trust the police more than any other institution except the Supreme Court?

Primary education

The recent Likud primary produced a list of candidates some have hailed as a great improvement. We ask whether the parties that pick their Knesset candidates through democratic primaries produce better results than the parties run by autocrats.

Playlist:

All songs by The Betty Bears, in honor of their kick-ass show ringing in the New Year at the Pasáž!

]]>01:01:16noThe “Crucial, last-chance, decisive watershed” editionWed, 31 Dec 2014 10:38:40 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel's 'crucial, last-chance, decisive watershed'

We discuss the weird notion, asserted by politicians, pundits, and intellectuals, that these elections are “the most important” in Israel’s history and will determine our fate forever. Could this rhetoric be setting us up for a huge disappointment?

Spotlight on Naftali Bennett

What makes the Jewish Home leader tick? We discuss the power of his 'No More Apologies' message, which is at the heart of his election campaign. Is this also at the heart of his appeal to so many voters?

The Promised Podcast’s Person, Place or Thing of the Year

Allison, Don, and Noah each present candidates for 'Israeli person, place or thing of the year' for each of two categories: (1) Politics/Diplomacy, and (2) Culture & Society. Then they try to pick an overall winner...

Playlist:

All songs by Gal De Paz, or Goldie, in honor of her return to the country and her show at the OzenBar this week

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Israel's 'crucial, last-chance, decisive watershed'

We discuss the weird notion, asserted by politicians, pundits, and intellectuals, that these elections are “the most important” in Israel’s history and will determine our fate forever. Could this rhetoric be setting us up for a huge disappointment?

Spotlight on Naftali Bennett

What makes the Jewish Home leader tick? We discuss the power of his 'No More Apologies' message, which is at the heart of his election campaign. Is this also at the heart of his appeal to so many voters?

The Promised Podcast’s Person, Place or Thing of the Year

Allison, Don, and Noah each present candidates for 'Israeli person, place or thing of the year' for each of two categories: (1) Politics/Diplomacy, and (2) Culture & Society. Then they try to pick an overall winner...

Playlist:

All songs by Gal De Paz, or Goldie, in honor of her return to the country and her show at the OzenBar this week

]]>01:01:32noThe “give peace a deadline” editionWed, 24 Dec 2014 09:04:44 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Give peace a deadlineThe recent Palestinian proposal to the UN Security Council mandates peace negotiations that must, within a year, produce an agreement ending the occupation and establishing a state in Palestine. A deadline on peace? Where will it lead?

Ha’am (is seriously) Itanu?Eli Yishai, the natty ex-Shas leader has just started his own competing party, Ha’am Itanu (The Nation is with Us). This makes us wonder, can Eli Yishai remake Mizrahi politics in Israel?

Shabbat Sha-shut-upWhy did a campaign promoting Shabbat observance have everyone grousing and grumbling? We ask, what’s all the fuss about?

PlaylistAll songs by Nowadays:Song 14Cold and NewAdvertisementRain

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Give peace a deadlineThe recent Palestinian proposal to the UN Security Council mandates peace negotiations that must, within a year, produce an agreement ending the occupation and establishing a state in Palestine. A deadline on peace? Where will it lead?

Ha’am (is seriously) Itanu?Eli Yishai, the natty ex-Shas leader has just started his own competing party, Ha’am Itanu (The Nation is with Us). This makes us wonder, can Eli Yishai remake Mizrahi politics in Israel?

Shabbat Sha-shut-upWhy did a campaign promoting Shabbat observance have everyone grousing and grumbling? We ask, what’s all the fuss about?

PlaylistAll songs by Nowadays:Song 14Cold and NewAdvertisementRain

]]>01:01:02noThe "e pluribus screw 'em" editionWed, 17 Dec 2014 10:34:31 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

#Israelex: Picking teams

We discuss the the Labor Party’s efforts to bring all the center-left parties, save one, under its wing. Can the Livni-Herzog rotation really work? How long can the center-left stay on the good side of the ultra-Orthodox?

Spotlight on the leaders who impact our world: Moshe Feiglin

Moshe Feiglin, the man challenging Netanyahu for leadership of the Likud, wants to annex the territories but make marijuana freely available to us all - an odd amalgam of views. We ask: What makes Moshe Feiglin tick?

Privatizing BDS

20 great American scholars, leftist Zionists all, want to sanction individual politicians (like Naftali Bennett) who sustain the occupation. We ask: Are 'personal sanctions' are a good idea. Do desperate times call for desperate measures?

Playlist:

All songs by the sultry Keren Ann:

Lay Your Head DownStephanie SaysFor You & I

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

#Israelex: Picking teams

We discuss the the Labor Party’s efforts to bring all the center-left parties, save one, under its wing. Can the Livni-Herzog rotation really work? How long can the center-left stay on the good side of the ultra-Orthodox?

Spotlight on the leaders who impact our world: Moshe Feiglin

Moshe Feiglin, the man challenging Netanyahu for leadership of the Likud, wants to annex the territories but make marijuana freely available to us all - an odd amalgam of views. We ask: What makes Moshe Feiglin tick?

Privatizing BDS

20 great American scholars, leftist Zionists all, want to sanction individual politicians (like Naftali Bennett) who sustain the occupation. We ask: Are 'personal sanctions' are a good idea. Do desperate times call for desperate measures?

Playlist:

All songs by the sultry Keren Ann:

Lay Your Head DownStephanie SaysFor You & I

]]>01:00:19noWoman of valor, who will elect?Wed, 10 Dec 2014 10:49:47 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Woman of valor, who will elect?

We discuss the campaign to get ultra-Orthodox women on the ballot for the upcoming elections, which encourages people not to vote for religious parties that don’t allow women to run. Does it reflect tectonic changes among the ultra-Orthodox?

Give peace a policy

At this week’s Saban Forum at Brookings, former Ambassador to the US Michael Oren challenged Labor leader Isaac Herzog on his policy towards the Palestinians and the peace process. What exactly does the mainstream Left plan to do to advance peace?

Will the elections make any difference at all?

We try to answer the (slightly annoying) questions asked in this NYT piece: Does the prospect of a purely rightist government show how much Israel has changed? Could the coming elections transform Israel’s future, it’s place in the world, and chances for peace?

Playlist:

All songs by Ha-Zeevot, in honor of their show at Levontin 7 this week:

Yoredet ve-OlahBack HomeOmeret LoAdamot Yeveshot

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Woman of valor, who will elect?

We discuss the campaign to get ultra-Orthodox women on the ballot for the upcoming elections, which encourages people not to vote for religious parties that don’t allow women to run. Does it reflect tectonic changes among the ultra-Orthodox?

Give peace a policy

At this week’s Saban Forum at Brookings, former Ambassador to the US Michael Oren challenged Labor leader Isaac Herzog on his policy towards the Palestinians and the peace process. What exactly does the mainstream Left plan to do to advance peace?

Will the elections make any difference at all?

We try to answer the (slightly annoying) questions asked in this NYT piece: Does the prospect of a purely rightist government show how much Israel has changed? Could the coming elections transform Israel’s future, it’s place in the world, and chances for peace?

Playlist:

All songs by Ha-Zeevot, in honor of their show at Levontin 7 this week:

Israel’s last elections were in January 2013, and now, it seems, the smoke-filled rooms have spoken: We’ll be heading to the polls again very soon. Why do we need elections? Won’t they be all about style over substance? Think about the 2 billion shekel price tag!

Equality enshrined?

This week, Secretary General of the Labor Party Hilik Bar submitted a bill that would enshrine the language of equality in Israel’s Declaration of Independence as a Basic Law. Is this a sufficient political response to the controversial ‘Nation State’ bill?

This is how women wage peace

The Women Wage Peace group held its official inaugural event last week, a remarkable train-caravan of 700 women to the embattled southern town of Sderot. How could such a movement impact Israeli politics? Can women do it better?

Israel’s last elections were in January 2013, and now, it seems, the smoke-filled rooms have spoken: We’ll be heading to the polls again very soon. Why do we need elections? Won’t they be all about style over substance? Think about the 2 billion shekel price tag!

Equality enshrined?

This week, Secretary General of the Labor Party Hilik Bar submitted a bill that would enshrine the language of equality in Israel’s Declaration of Independence as a Basic Law. Is this a sufficient political response to the controversial ‘Nation State’ bill?

This is how women wage peace

The Women Wage Peace group held its official inaugural event last week, a remarkable train-caravan of 700 women to the embattled southern town of Sderot. How could such a movement impact Israeli politics? Can women do it better?

]]>01:01:25noMuch a-Jew about nothingWed, 26 Nov 2014 09:08:15 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Much a-Jew about nothing

Although apparently about nothing, the 'Jewish State' bill could still become a tsunami that, if nothing else, wrecks the coalition. Could the law help reaffirm the principle of national self-determination, or could it turn Israel into a discriminatory ethnocracy?

A 'Likud' for the Left?

Is it really possible for the entire center-left to join together into a single 'super-party,' as the center-right did in 1973 with the formation of 'Likud' (meaning 'unification')? We discuss the potential costs and benefits of the left hanging together.

Dodging 'the second assault'

Miriam Shler, the director of the TA Sexual Assault Crisis Center, joins the Promised Podcast team to discuss the disturbing case of the judge who refused to press charges against her rapist, avoiding what feminists have for years called 'the second assault.'

Playlist:

All songs by Saz (Sameh Zakout), to remind ourselves that Israel may be a Jewish state, but it’s not just a Jewish state:

The Only PlaceYou’re the LoveI Love YouStory

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Much a-Jew about nothing

Although apparently about nothing, the 'Jewish State' bill could still become a tsunami that, if nothing else, wrecks the coalition. Could the law help reaffirm the principle of national self-determination, or could it turn Israel into a discriminatory ethnocracy?

A 'Likud' for the Left?

Is it really possible for the entire center-left to join together into a single 'super-party,' as the center-right did in 1973 with the formation of 'Likud' (meaning 'unification')? We discuss the potential costs and benefits of the left hanging together.

Dodging 'the second assault'

Miriam Shler, the director of the TA Sexual Assault Crisis Center, joins the Promised Podcast team to discuss the disturbing case of the judge who refused to press charges against her rapist, avoiding what feminists have for years called 'the second assault.'

Playlist:

All songs by Saz (Sameh Zakout), to remind ourselves that Israel may be a Jewish state, but it’s not just a Jewish state:

The Only PlaceYou’re the LoveI Love YouStory

]]>01:01:33noSquirmin’ on the MountWed, 19 Nov 2014 09:10:58 +0000In the shadow of the horrifying murders in a Jerusalem synagogue, Allison, Noah, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss:

Squirmin’ on the Mount

The question of whether Jews should be allowed to pray on the Temple Mount has reentered public discourse since the shooting of Rabbi Yehuda Glick. With this and other tragic recent events, we ask whether we're heading for a full-blown religious war.

Henry Kissinger's "peace later"

In his acceptance speech for the World Jewish Congress' Theodor Herzl Award, Henry Kissinger remarked that Jews and Palestinians can’t settle their problems while the Middle East is in disarray. Is there something to this rejection of the "peace now" meme?

Coalition crises and stinking maneuvrers

We all know the love is gone between Prime Minister Netanyahu and his coalition partners. But should Bibi's detractors be getting excited about the chance to unseat him? How likely is a Herzog-Lapid coalition? How is it that Bibi is at once so weak and so strong?

Playlist:

All songs by Dikla, in honor of the release of her new record, Ve-Eem Preidah:

]]>In the shadow of the horrifying murders in a Jerusalem synagogue, Allison, Noah, and Times of Israel Ops & Blogs Editor Miriam Herschlag discuss:

Squirmin’ on the Mount

The question of whether Jews should be allowed to pray on the Temple Mount has reentered public discourse since the shooting of Rabbi Yehuda Glick. With this and other tragic recent events, we ask whether we're heading for a full-blown religious war.

Henry Kissinger's "peace later"

In his acceptance speech for the World Jewish Congress' Theodor Herzl Award, Henry Kissinger remarked that Jews and Palestinians can’t settle their problems while the Middle East is in disarray. Is there something to this rejection of the "peace now" meme?

Coalition crises and stinking maneuvrers

We all know the love is gone between Prime Minister Netanyahu and his coalition partners. But should Bibi's detractors be getting excited about the chance to unseat him? How likely is a Herzog-Lapid coalition? How is it that Bibi is at once so weak and so strong?

Playlist:

All songs by Dikla, in honor of the release of her new record, Ve-Eem Preidah:

News analysts and professors are holding forth about whether or not the third intifada has started, and the question of whether or not the killing we’re seeing now will pass soon. So the question remains, how do the recent stabbings and rammings impact folks like us?

Can the Bible reduce poverty?

MK Ruth Calderon is working to implement the biblical injunction to forgive debts every seven years. She says, “It is an idea that will change the lives of thousands of kids who live beneath the poverty line. An idea that contains within it traditions that pertained in the days of the Talmud, through which people helped their fellows.”

Why do guys get an icky charge from Jewesses with guns?

There is something majorly messed up about how men think about Jewish women and, especially, Jewish women with guns. This is proved all too true today with a Girls-of-the IDF pinup calendar, and the icky charge guys get from Jewesses with Guns.

Playlist:

All songs by Mika Karni, in honor of her forthcoming album (and the single she just released)

Nashakti Bahurah

Kol Dodi

Mi Zot

Shvil

]]>Are we terrorized yet?

News analysts and professors are holding forth about whether or not the third intifada has started, and the question of whether or not the killing we’re seeing now will pass soon. So the question remains, how do the recent stabbings and rammings impact folks like us?

Can the Bible reduce poverty?

MK Ruth Calderon is working to implement the biblical injunction to forgive debts every seven years. She says, “It is an idea that will change the lives of thousands of kids who live beneath the poverty line. An idea that contains within it traditions that pertained in the days of the Talmud, through which people helped their fellows.”

Why do guys get an icky charge from Jewesses with guns?

There is something majorly messed up about how men think about Jewish women and, especially, Jewish women with guns. This is proved all too true today with a Girls-of-the IDF pinup calendar, and the icky charge guys get from Jewesses with Guns.

Playlist:

All songs by Mika Karni, in honor of her forthcoming album (and the single she just released)

Nashakti Bahurah

Kol Dodi

Mi Zot

Shvil

]]>01:00:06noThe “What’s Red and Blue got to do with Blue and White?” EditionWed, 05 Nov 2014 10:55:56 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is Bibi rooting (too openly) for his American home team?Prime Minister Netanyahu’s unmasked hope that Republicans capture the US Senate, and whether we won’t pay a price for his partisan enthusiasm.

How many generals does it take to reinitiate a peace process?Maybe 106106 Generals call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to initiate a regional peace process.

Jewish conversion rules are a'changingAre the new rules about how conversions work in Israel a sign that the Rabbis’ grip is loosening?

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is Bibi rooting (too openly) for his American home team?Prime Minister Netanyahu’s unmasked hope that Republicans capture the US Senate, and whether we won’t pay a price for his partisan enthusiasm.

How many generals does it take to reinitiate a peace process? Maybe 106106 Generals call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to initiate a regional peace process.

Jewish conversion rules are a'changingAre the new rules about how conversions work in Israel a sign that the Rabbis’ grip is loosening?

]]>01:01:17noThe 'Whither Jerusalem?' EditionWed, 29 Oct 2014 08:28:08 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Whither Jerusalem?

Recent acts of terrible violence in Jerusalem have had pundits debating whether the Third Intifada has begun. We discuss political analyst Gershom Gorenberg’s suggestion that a divided city can be turned into a bridge between two divided peoples.

The President and the precedent

We discuss President Rivlin's speech at the annual Kafr Qasem memorial service. What we are to make of a President whom we all know as an advocate of a one-state solution, who is also emerging as the country’s strongest voice for Palestinian rights?

The astounding wisdom of the Jewish people

The Yavne City Council just voted unanimously to begin work on a museum to be called 'The Hall of the Wisdom of the Jewish People,' in which 120 Jewish geniuses are to be memorialized. Is it time to drop the 'Jews are so smart' trope?

Playlist:

All songs by Mira Awad:

Singing My Song

Cloud

All I Want

We Can Work It Out (With Achinoam Nini)

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Whither Jerusalem?

Recent acts of terrible violence in Jerusalem have had pundits debating whether the Third Intifada has begun. We discuss political analyst Gershom Gorenberg’s suggestion that a divided city can be turned into a bridge between two divided peoples.

The President and the precedent

We discuss President Rivlin's speech at the annual Kafr Qasem memorial service. What we are to make of a President whom we all know as an advocate of a one-state solution, who is also emerging as the country’s strongest voice for Palestinian rights?

The astounding wisdom of the Jewish people

The Yavne City Council just voted unanimously to begin work on a museum to be called 'The Hall of the Wisdom of the Jewish People,' in which 120 Jewish geniuses are to be memorialized. Is it time to drop the 'Jews are so smart' trope?

Playlist:

All songs by Mira Awad:

Singing My Song

Cloud

All I Want

We Can Work It Out (With Achinoam Nini)

]]>01:01:53noA tale of two leftiesTue, 21 Oct 2014 16:00:00 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Palestinian statehood and the tale of two lefties

With the dust settling on the British Parliament's Palestinian vote, we consider the two leftist models for dealing with the growing international embrace of Palestinian Statehood - one for it, the other against - embodied by MKs Zahava Gal-On and Hilik Bar.

The Berlin brouhaha continues to baffle

The Olim leBerlin Facebook group caused a tidal wave of anger: Anger that groceries are so expensive in Israel, and anger at the people willing to emigrate (especially to the site of such painful Jewish memories) just for cheaper 'Milky.' What's it all about?

The Jewish watchdog: Saving Soviet Jews

We discuss the ethos behind the recently-divulged 1990 Israeli plan to invade the USSR to save Russian Jews: What does it say about the Israeli psyche? Is this sense of responsibility towards Jews around the world, wherever they may be, still alive today?

Playlist:

All songs by the post-punk genius of Morah Machlifah:

Lo Tsarich

Tagid Li

Shir Al HaTkufa

Beton

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Palestinian statehood and the tale of two lefties

With the dust settling on the British Parliament's Palestinian vote, we consider the two leftist models for dealing with the growing international embrace of Palestinian Statehood - one for it, the other against - embodied by MKs Zahava Gal-On and Hilik Bar.

The Berlin brouhaha continues to baffle

The Olim leBerlin Facebook group caused a tidal wave of anger: Anger that groceries are so expensive in Israel, and anger at the people willing to emigrate (especially to the site of such painful Jewish memories) just for cheaper 'Milky.' What's it all about?

The Jewish watchdog: Saving Soviet Jews

We discuss the ethos behind the recently-divulged 1990 Israeli plan to invade the USSR to save Russian Jews: What does it say about the Israeli psyche? Is this sense of responsibility towards Jews around the world, wherever they may be, still alive today?

Playlist:

All songs by the post-punk genius of Morah Machlifah:

Lo Tsarich

Tagid Li

Shir Al HaTkufa

Beton

]]>01:00:06noThe 'calamari is kosher, right?' editionWed, 15 Oct 2014 09:08:10 +0000llison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The United States of Israel?

Could 'Cantonization' save Israel? We discuss a proposal to slice and dice Israel into small ethnically and ideologically defined localities that would each have laws that better fit their populations. Would such a system benefit Israel's minorities?

The great media parallax

The coverage of Operation Protective Edge this summer looked very different on Israeli TV screens compared to American or European ones. Why is this, and should something be done to change Israeli media coverage of regional events?

Calamari is kosher, right?

Why did PM Netanyahu feel compelled to make this dubious statement to a journalist recently: "I do not eat unkosher foods"? Is the legitimacy of being an out-and-out secular politician diminishing? Is this a sign that secular Judaism is on the retreat?

Playlist:

All songs by the anarchic genius of 'Old Man River' (whom you can call Ohad Rein):

Amazing Grace

La

You’re On My Mind

Shanti Aaye

]]>llison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

The United States of Israel?

Could 'Cantonization' save Israel? We discuss a proposal to slice and dice Israel into small ethnically and ideologically defined localities that would each have laws that better fit their populations. Would such a system benefit Israel's minorities?

The great media parallax

The coverage of Operation Protective Edge this summer looked very different on Israeli TV screens compared to American or European ones. Why is this, and should something be done to change Israeli media coverage of regional events?

Calamari is kosher, right?

Why did PM Netanyahu feel compelled to make this dubious statement to a journalist recently: "I do not eat unkosher foods"? Is the legitimacy of being an out-and-out secular politician diminishing? Is this a sign that secular Judaism is on the retreat?

Playlist:

All songs by the anarchic genius of 'Old Man River' (whom you can call Ohad Rein):

Amazing Grace

La

You’re On My Mind

Shanti Aaye

]]>01:00:25noThe 'doctors, lawyers, and rabbis' editionTue, 07 Oct 2014 16:11:28 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A spoonful of politics helps the medicine go down?

Lancet editor Richard Horton visited Israel this week to apologize for his publication's controversial 'An Open Letter for the People of Gaza.' As authoritative social figures, should doctors express their political views publicly, while wearing their white coats?

How to judge the judges

The Israel Bar Association, ignoring fierce opposition from representatives of the bench, recently decided to reinstitute the annual rating of judges by lawyers. Does this serve to remind judges that they're human, or is it populism at its most problematic?

Seeing black at 30,000 feet

We discuss the now-infamous El Al flight that took off 20 minutes late because an ultra-Orthodox man was negotiating not to have to sit next to a woman, which led to a change.org petition and global feminist uproar. Is this the classic paradox of liberalism?

Playlist:

All songs by Shmemel, because we can:

Berlin

Shir Ahava Hevratit

Shmemel ve-Ha-Omanim Ha-Koasim – Al Tig’u Lanu Ba-Arak

He

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A spoonful of politics helps the medicine go down?

Lancet editor Richard Horton visited Israel this week to apologize for his publication's controversial 'An Open Letter for the People of Gaza.' As authoritative social figures, should doctors express their political views publicly, while wearing their white coats?

How to judge the judges

The Israel Bar Association, ignoring fierce opposition from representatives of the bench, recently decided to reinstitute the annual rating of judges by lawyers. Does this serve to remind judges that they're human, or is it populism at its most problematic?

Seeing black at 30,000 feet

We discuss the now-infamous El Al flight that took off 20 minutes late because an ultra-Orthodox man was negotiating not to have to sit next to a woman, which led to a change.org petition and global feminist uproar. Is this the classic paradox of liberalism?

Playlist:

All songs by Shmemel, because we can:

Berlin

Shir Ahava Hevratit

Shmemel ve-Ha-Omanim Ha-Koasim – Al Tig’u Lanu Ba-Arak

He

]]>01:01:10noFear and loathing at the UNTue, 30 Sep 2014 17:39:49 +0000Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A tale of two speeches: Fear and loathing at the UN

In the last few days, PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu have given speeches to the United Nations General Assembly. Which speech was more depressing, and should we even care about what was said?

How Supreme a Court?

Over the past two weeks, the Israeli Supreme Court has angered many with its rulings on 'admission committees' and the Holot detention facility for illegal immigrants. Does the Supreme Court overreach or should judicial activism be encouraged?

They cry of the silenced

We discuss journalist Mairav Zonszein's New York Times op-ed, 'How Israel Silences Dissent': Have dissenters in Israel really been silenced in any meaningful way? Or have they just failed to work out what they should be saying and how they should be saying it?

Playlist:

All songs by Hadara Levine Areddy (in honor of her cool show this week at Levontin 7):

Wedding Song

Not Another Sad Song

Anything More (with Duvid Swirsky)

Mishehu Pa'am Ahav Oti

]]>Allison, Don, and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

A tale of two speeches: Fear and loathing at the UN

In the last few days, PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu have given speeches to the United Nations General Assembly. Which speech was more depressing, and should we even care about what was said?

How Supreme a Court?

Over the past two weeks, the Israeli Supreme Court has angered many with its rulings on 'admission committees' and the Holot detention facility for illegal immigrants. Does the Supreme Court overreach or should judicial activism be encouraged?

They cry of the silenced

We discuss journalist Mairav Zonszein's New York Times op-ed, 'How Israel Silences Dissent': Have dissenters in Israel really been silenced in any meaningful way? Or have they just failed to work out what they should be saying and how they should be saying it?

Playlist:

All songs by Hadara Levine Areddy (in honor of her cool show this week at Levontin 7):

Wedding Song

Not Another Sad Song

Anything More (with Duvid Swirsky)

Mishehu Pa'am Ahav Oti

]]>01:00:19no The death and life of the LeftWed, 24 Sep 2014 11:46:32 +0000Who really killed the Israeli Left?

Where exactly is the Israeli Left failing? And if it is, indeed, dead, was it killed by an ill-advised infatuation with 'abroad,' which distracted it from winning hearts and minds at home?

Can the army smash class barriers in Israel?

Is the Israeli Army a great equalizer and civilian high-tech incubator? Or are today’s soldiers, who will be tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, just yesterday’s privileged rich, white boys? And what of those who don't participate in the army?

The Promised Podcast's 'year that was'

PM Netanyahu's Rosh Hashanah speech to the nation listed Israel's accomplishments over the last year - we didn't know we'd had it so good! In reality, what, if anything, has changed over the past year? And what changes would we like to see next year?

Playlist:

All songs by Tamar Aphek, in honor of the European tour she’s just announced:

We Deserve ItWho Cares/Summer ComesThe Second I Am HoneIt’s For Us

]]>Who really killed the Israeli Left?

Where exactly is the Israeli Left failing? And if it is, indeed, dead, was it killed by an ill-advised infatuation with 'abroad,' which distracted it from winning hearts and minds at home?

Can the army smash class barriers in Israel?

Is the Israeli Army a great equalizer and civilian high-tech incubator? Or are today’s soldiers, who will be tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, just yesterday’s privileged rich, white boys? And what of those who don't participate in the army?

The Promised Podcast's 'year that was'

PM Netanyahu's Rosh Hashanah speech to the nation listed Israel's accomplishments over the last year - we didn't know we'd had it so good! In reality, what, if anything, has changed over the past year? And what changes would we like to see next year?

Playlist:

All songs by Tamar Aphek, in honor of the European tour she’s just announced:

We Deserve ItWho Cares/Summer ComesThe Second I Am HoneIt’s For Us

]]>01:01:57noYou say goodbye, and I say helloThu, 18 Sep 2014 12:01:14 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Were the Unit 8200 'refuseniks' right to break ranks?

Unit 8200's 'refusenik' letter exposed some Israeli intelligence practices some are finding very hard to swallow. Were the soldiers right to publicly expose these practices? Why are important leaders of the moderate left so fiercely opposed to the letter?

"You say goodbye...": Reasons to get the hell out of dodge

TLV1's very own Rogel Alpher caused a stir in his recent Haaretz piece, in which he announced his reasons for wanting to emigrate from Israel. How will this affect other leftists? In Rogel's words, is Israel worth the price it's exacting from us?

"…And I say hello": Reasons to make Aliyah

The government's recent promotional video aimed at getting young Jews to come and study in Israel has received mixed reviews. Should the government be marketing Israel in a political vacuum, as a bitching lifestyle choice, in order to seek American immigrants?

Playlist:

All songs by Shirly Kones, in honor of her show this week at Tel Aviv's Levontin 7:

SiraBeKarov BaCfarShniot ArukotYasha

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Were the Unit 8200 'refuseniks' right to break ranks?

Unit 8200's 'refusenik' letter exposed some Israeli intelligence practices some are finding very hard to swallow. Were the soldiers right to publicly expose these practices? Why are important leaders of the moderate left so fiercely opposed to the letter?

"You say goodbye...": Reasons to get the hell out of dodge

TLV1's very own Rogel Alpher caused a stir in his recent Haaretz piece, in which he announced his reasons for wanting to emigrate from Israel. How will this affect other leftists? In Rogel's words, is Israel worth the price it's exacting from us?

"…And I say hello": Reasons to make Aliyah

The government's recent promotional video aimed at getting young Jews to come and study in Israel has received mixed reviews. Should the government be marketing Israel in a political vacuum, as a bitching lifestyle choice, in order to seek American immigrants?

Playlist:

All songs by Shirly Kones, in honor of her show this week at Tel Aviv's Levontin 7:

SiraBeKarov BaCfarShniot ArukotYasha

]]>01:00:23noActs of conscience, acts of loveThu, 11 Sep 2014 11:30:58 +0000Host Noah Efron conducts a very special interview with a conscientious objector, and we pull together our favorite 'Vatacountry' segments.

Acts of conscience: Summer in the slammer

Noah interviews IDF reservist Gilad Halpern, who spent the summer in a military jail for conscientiously objecting to his call-up during Operation Protective Edge. How does conscientious objection in Israel map onto the political landscape?

Acts of love: 'Vatacountry' best bits

A personal reflection by podcast listener Andrew Wirth on art, freedom of expression, and the army in Israel; plus some of our favorite 'Vatacountry' segments about life in this infuriating country that, at the end of the day, we cannot help but love.

Playlist:

All songs by The Victor Jackson Show:

Mechva LeNimrod Reshef

HaDor HaBa

Safa Shnia LeBchira

]]>Host Noah Efron conducts a very special interview with a conscientious objector, and we pull together our favorite 'Vatacountry' segments.

Acts of conscience: Summer in the slammer

Noah interviews IDF reservist Gilad Halpern, who spent the summer in a military jail for conscientiously objecting to his call-up during Operation Protective Edge. How does conscientious objection in Israel map onto the political landscape?

Acts of love: 'Vatacountry' best bits

A personal reflection by podcast listener Andrew Wirth on art, freedom of expression, and the army in Israel; plus some of our favorite 'Vatacountry' segments about life in this infuriating country that, at the end of the day, we cannot help but love.

Playlist:

All songs by The Victor Jackson Show:

Mechva LeNimrod Reshef

HaDor HaBa

Safa Shnia LeBchira

]]>01:00:17noThe '988 acres of land' editionThu, 04 Sep 2014 10:48:37 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

988 acres of land

Israel has announced the takeover of 988 acres of land belonging to five Palestinian villages in the Etzion settlement bloc, clearing the way for a new settlement named Gvaot. Why did the cabinet decide to appropriate these lands at this moment?

Why are Bibi's approval ratings in free-fall?

According to a recent poll, PM Netanyahu's approval ratings have taken a sharp dip, the acceleration of a trend that started six weeks ago. Why the plummeting popularity, and what about the political consequences?

The “Annual State of the Schools” (ASS) assessment

Israeli kids receive more hours of schooling than most OECD countries, but what do they get to show for it? We discuss what works and doesn’t work in Israeli schools at the moment.

Playlist:

A potpourri of great, classic kids’ music, in honor of the start of school:

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

988 acres of land

Israel has announced the takeover of 988 acres of land belonging to five Palestinian villages in the Etzion settlement bloc, clearing the way for a new settlement named Gvaot. Why did the cabinet decide to appropriate these lands at this moment?

Why are Bibi's approval ratings in free-fall?

According to a recent poll, PM Netanyahu's approval ratings have taken a sharp dip, the acceleration of a trend that started six weeks ago. Why the plummeting popularity, and what about the political consequences?

The “Annual State of the Schools” (ASS) assessment

Israeli kids receive more hours of schooling than most OECD countries, but what do they get to show for it? We discuss what works and doesn’t work in Israeli schools at the moment.

Playlist:

A potpourri of great, classic kids’ music, in honor of the start of school:

]]>01:00:07noThe 'war’s end' editionThu, 28 Aug 2014 10:54:44 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Now the ceasefire’s signed, what the hell just happened?

What should we make of the ceasefire agreement? What can and should be done to take advantage of the opportunities created by this war (notwithstanding its many miseries and tragedies) to create a better future for us all?

Iron Dome saved lives, but at what cost?

Has Israel's missile defense system, which probably saved hundreds of Israeli lives in this war, actually saved Hamas from destruction and undermined Israel's image as a civilized state in the eyes of the West?

Liberal Zionism, RIP?

Are we nearing the watershed at which 'liberal Zionists' will have to choose between liberalism and Zionism? Does the reality of modern Israel offer no hope for Jews committed to liberal values?

Playlist:

All songs by Los Caparos, the coolest Russian-Israeli punk-ska band you’re ever likely to hear, in honor of their great performance at Barby this week:

Haim BaseretLo KoneRasta VasilyShir Hamakolet

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Now the ceasefire’s signed, what the hell just happened?

What should we make of the ceasefire agreement? What can and should be done to take advantage of the opportunities created by this war (notwithstanding its many miseries and tragedies) to create a better future for us all?

Iron Dome saved lives, but at what cost?

Has Israel's missile defense system, which probably saved hundreds of Israeli lives in this war, actually saved Hamas from destruction and undermined Israel's image as a civilized state in the eyes of the West?

Liberal Zionism, RIP?

Are we nearing the watershed at which 'liberal Zionists' will have to choose between liberalism and Zionism? Does the reality of modern Israel offer no hope for Jews committed to liberal values?

Playlist:

All songs by Los Caparos, the coolest Russian-Israeli punk-ska band you’re ever likely to hear, in honor of their great performance at Barby this week:

Haim BaseretLo KoneRasta VasilyShir Hamakolet

]]>01:00:24nowhat now?Thu, 21 Aug 2014 11:45:20 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Time to lose those 'war-goggles'

As we try to figure out what happened over the summer, is it useful to ask whether the war in Gaza addled our perceptions? Are we hardwired to become more hawkish in times of war?

Preaching to the converted

We discuss Rabbi Yuval Sherlow's critique of David Grossman's speech at this week's anti-war rally in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square. Is he right to criticize the Left for failing to find a bridging discourse between Left and Right?

What the hell should we do next?

The time has come for left-wing activists to dust themselves off and do something. But what? What should we be lobbying our politicians for? What should we be writing op-eds about?

Playlist:

All songs by Efrat Lotenberg, in honor of the release of her amazing new album, Ha'Machbesa shel Acha:

Hi Lo MevinaT.A.Be'Regaim KaeleBe my Baby

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Time to lose those 'war-goggles'

As we try to figure out what happened over the summer, is it useful to ask whether the war in Gaza addled our perceptions? Are we hardwired to become more hawkish in times of war?

Preaching to the converted

We discuss Rabbi Yuval Sherlow's critique of David Grossman's speech at this week's anti-war rally in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square. Is he right to criticize the Left for failing to find a bridging discourse between Left and Right?

What the hell should we do next?

The time has come for left-wing activists to dust themselves off and do something. But what? What should we be lobbying our politicians for? What should we be writing op-eds about?

Playlist:

All songs by Efrat Lotenberg, in honor of the release of her amazing new album, Ha'Machbesa shel Acha:

Hi Lo MevinaT.A.Be'Regaim KaeleBe my Baby

]]>01:00:15noThe 'one-and-a-half state' solutionThu, 14 Aug 2014 13:13:46 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is Bibi too strong to make peace?

Would a weaker Netanyahu would be more willing “to make some very difficult compromises, including taking on the settler movement,” as President Obama claimed in an interview last week?

When war and peace are held hostage to machismo

To what extent are Israel’s notions of peace, security and war 'male' in character? Are women relegated to the margins in times of war? Would we even be in this mess if women wielded greater influence?

The 'one-and-a-half state' solution

Could a Jewish state and a Palestinian state both exist within the same territorial borders? Can fancy thinking solve our problems, or does the old received wisdom have the best chance of succeeding?

Playlist:

All songs by Nechi Nech

Cafe Ve-Sigaria

Ayiddisha Rasta Man

HaSimcha

Bur Ve-Am HaAretz

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss three topics of incomparable importance, and end with an anecdote each about something in Israel that made them smile this week.

Is Bibi too strong to make peace?

Would a weaker Netanyahu would be more willing “to make some very difficult compromises, including taking on the settler movement,” as President Obama claimed in an interview last week?

When war and peace are held hostage to machismo

To what extent are Israel’s notions of peace, security and war 'male' in character? Are women relegated to the margins in times of war? Would we even be in this mess if women wielded greater influence?

The 'one-and-a-half state' solution

Could a Jewish state and a Palestinian state both exist within the same territorial borders? Can fancy thinking solve our problems, or does the old received wisdom have the best chance of succeeding?

Israel is fighting the mother of all asymmetrical wars. Is Israel’s military superiority also its greatest weakness? Is Hamas’ weakness also its greatest strength?

Empathy for the 'devil'

Showing empathy for the suffering of the other side in these times of war should not be equated to Hamas-sympathizing.

Second thoughts on uprooting the family tree?

Watching funeral after funeral of young IDF soldiers causes us to reconsider the decision to uproot ourselves and our families and move to Israel.

Playlist:

The powerful peace music of Hadag Nachash

Od Ach Ehad

War

Shirat Ha-Stiker

Lo Frayerim

]]>Ilene, Noah and Elion discuss:

Is asymmetry the new black?

Israel is fighting the mother of all asymmetrical wars. Is Israel’s military superiority also its greatest weakness? Is Hamas’ weakness also its greatest strength?

Empathy for the 'devil'

Showing empathy for the suffering of the other side in these times of war should not be equated to Hamas-sympathizing.

Second thoughts on uprooting the family tree?

Watching funeral after funeral of young IDF soldiers causes us to reconsider the decision to uproot ourselves and our families and move to Israel.

Playlist:

The powerful peace music of Hadag Nachash

Od Ach Ehad

War

Shirat Ha-Stiker

Lo Frayerim

]]>01:00:12noThe 'Better Times' EditionThu, 17 Jul 2014 14:45:35 +0000With some of the cast in shelters, and most living the high-life in the capitals of Western debauchery, we present a collection of “vatacountry” segments, in which each of us describe something that surprised and amazed us, delighted and amused us, in our day-to-day lives in Israel. As if to say, “Times were better once, and they’ll be better again soon.”

Dancing the Ethiopian shoulder shake on Sigd

Don discusses the Ethiopian holiday of Sigd; Elon tells us about his very erudite taxi driver; and Noah reviews Shimon Peres' biography of David Ben-Gurion.

Songs of Innocence and Experience

Elon talks about the sporty Strawberry family; Miriam reviews the film 'Invisible'; and Noah introduces us to a very precocious couple of musicians.

Family Album: Arabian Babblers and fake ski slopes

Emily talks about her experiences on the Israel Trail; Noah tells us about the time he tried to go skiing on Mt. Gilboa with his son.

A journey right back to our roots

Don takes us into total darkness; Elon reminisces over Yaffa Yarkoni; Noah gets deep and meaningful over Vaclav Havel; and Don visits the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Playlist:

Danny Sanderson – Ha-Galshan

Gazoz – Likhvod Ha-Kayitz

Tomer Ve-Ha-Bsora (Tomer and the Gospel) – Ha-Pa'am

Machina – El Derekh La-Yam

Yaffa Yarkoni – Bab El Wad

]]>With some of the cast in shelters, and most living the high-life in the capitals of Western debauchery, we present a collection of “vatacountry” segments, in which each of us describe something that surprised and amazed us, delighted and amused us, in our day-to-day lives in Israel. As if to say, “Times were better once, and they’ll be better again soon.”

Dancing the Ethiopian shoulder shake on Sigd

Don discusses the Ethiopian holiday of Sigd; Elon tells us about his very erudite taxi driver; and Noah reviews Shimon Peres' biography of David Ben-Gurion.

Songs of Innocence and Experience

Elon talks about the sporty Strawberry family; Miriam reviews the film 'Invisible'; and Noah introduces us to a very precocious couple of musicians.

Family Album: Arabian Babblers and fake ski slopes

Emily talks about her experiences on the Israel Trail; Noah tells us about the time he tried to go skiing on Mt. Gilboa with his son.

A journey right back to our roots

Don takes us into total darkness; Elon reminisces over Yaffa Yarkoni; Noah gets deep and meaningful over Vaclav Havel; and Don visits the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Is mainstream Israel losing patience with settlers, as found in a recent poll conducted by an institution that supports the settlements?

Is Netanyahu's stonewalling beginning to crumble?

How long can Prime Minster Netanyahu go on being the Peace Process' "obstructionist-in-chief?' Has he lost his grip?

Why swooning over the Stones just isn't cool

Is our joy over the Stones, Neil Young, Lady Gaga and other A-List acts coming to Israel just a little pathetic?

Music:

All songs by Baladino, singing in the dying language of Ladino, from their new album “Dos Amantes”:

La Kumida La Manyana

Si Veriash A La Rana

A Sinyora Novia

Kuando El Rey Nimrod

]]>This episode of the Promised Podcast doesn't deal with the recent West Bank teen kidnappings straight-up; it's already been instrumentalized by too many, based on too few facts. We adhere to Ludwig Wittgenstein's dictum: "Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent."

Allison, Don & Noah discuss:

Have we lost patience with settlers?

Is mainstream Israel losing patience with settlers, as found in a recent poll conducted by an institution that supports the settlements?

Is Netanyahu's stonewalling beginning to crumble?

How long can Prime Minster Netanyahu go on being the Peace Process' "obstructionist-in-chief?' Has he lost his grip?

Why swooning over the Stones just isn't cool

Is our joy over the Stones, Neil Young, Lady Gaga and other A-List acts coming to Israel just a little pathetic?

Music:

All songs by Baladino, singing in the dying language of Ladino, from their new album “Dos Amantes”:

How do Jews around the world think Israel ought to balance its “democratic” and “Jewish” values? The Jewish People Policy Institute's new report, “Jewish and Democratic: Perspectives from World Jewry,” shows that diaspora Jews view Jewish values as essentially democratic ones. But what about the rights of non-Jewish minorities in Israel?

Romanticizing the Draft?

A Knesset member put forth a proposal to end the draft in favor of an all-volunteer army. This would appease ultra-Orthodox Israelis and other who are against the draft, but most Israelis are against replacing conscription with a volunteer professional army. Apart from the more practical considerations, canceling the draft would undermine Israeli society's romantic and nationalistic image of the army as a melting pot and expression of citizenship.

'You Can't Go Home Again'

After spending her salad days in Israel, author Ayelet Waldman emigrated to the U.S. and didn't return for twenty years. Now she's back for a visit and has come to the TLV1 studio to tell us whether, as Thomas Wolfe wrote, you can't go home again.

How do Jews around the world think Israel ought to balance its “democratic” and “Jewish” values? The Jewish People Policy Institute's new report, “Jewish and Democratic: Perspectives from World Jewry,” shows that diaspora Jews view Jewish values as essentially democratic ones. But what about the rights of non-Jewish minorities in Israel?

Romanticizing the Draft?

A Knesset member put forth a proposal to end the draft in favor of an all-volunteer army. This would appease ultra-Orthodox Israelis and other who are against the draft, but most Israelis are against replacing conscription with a volunteer professional army. Apart from the more practical considerations, canceling the draft would undermine Israeli society's romantic and nationalistic image of the army as a melting pot and expression of citizenship.

'You Can't Go Home Again'

After spending her salad days in Israel, author Ayelet Waldman emigrated to the U.S. and didn't return for twenty years. Now she's back for a visit and has come to the TLV1 studio to tell us whether, as Thomas Wolfe wrote, you can't go home again.

Why one MK has complained that “we have become a country of idiots that does not respect the Torah,” in response to the wild celebrations following Maccabi Tel Aviv's victory in the European basketball championship; why a famous Hebrew University historian asserts that the victory is “the biggest proof that Zionism has failed when it comes to sports;”Whether the minimum wage should be boosted by 30%, as advocated by 61 Members of Knesset and by basically no economists;The state of poetry in Israel, including soulful readings of translations of our favorite Hebrew poems.All this and new political music by the redoubtable David Broza!

Music: All songs by David Broza, from his latest album East Jersualem –West Jerusalem.

East Jerusalem (with Wyclef Jean)

What’s so funny about peace, love and understanding

Peace (Ain’t Nothing but a Word)

Jerusalem

]]>Allison, Eilon, and Noah discuss:

Why one MK has complained that “we have become a country of idiots that does not respect the Torah,” in response to the wild celebrations following Maccabi Tel Aviv's victory in the European basketball championship; why a famous Hebrew University historian asserts that the victory is “the biggest proof that Zionism has failed when it comes to sports;”Whether the minimum wage should be boosted by 30%, as advocated by 61 Members of Knesset and by basically no economists;The state of poetry in Israel, including soulful readings of translations of our favorite Hebrew poems.All this and new political music by the redoubtable David Broza!

Music: All songs by David Broza, from his latest album East Jersualem –West Jerusalem.

“iNakba,” an iPhone app that aims to put the dispossession of Palestinian homes and villages into your pocket;

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to “legally define the Talmud as the basis of the Israeli legal system” and to make the Jewish calendar the official calendar of the state;

and whether Israel, like the rest of the west, is experiencing a “crisis of authority” that makes it impossible to govern

Music: All songs by indie mainstay Kob, from his new record 'Tugat ha-Mafsidim'

Pitom AtLiat Shel Yom ShishiTugat ha-MafsidimAl Kol Ele

]]> Allison, Don, and Noah discuss:

“iNakba,” an iPhone app that aims to put the dispossession of Palestinian homes and villages into your pocket;

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to “legally define the Talmud as the basis of the Israeli legal system” and to make the Jewish calendar the official calendar of the state;

and whether Israel, like the rest of the west, is experiencing a “crisis of authority” that makes it impossible to govern

Music: All songs by indie mainstay Kob, from his new record 'Tugat ha-Mafsidim'

Pitom AtLiat Shel Yom ShishiTugat ha-MafsidimAl Kol Ele

]]>01:00:23noDrawing Lines & Drawing ConclusionsThu, 08 May 2014 13:58:13 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss (1) Why the Conference of Presidents decided to keep J-Street out of their nifty club, and what’ll happen as a result, and (2) Why the proliferating “alternative” ceremonies for Memorial Day and Independence day piss off so many. Plus (3) OurFirst Annual Promised Podcast State of the State Addresses (or, for you commonwealth times, our First Annual Speech from the Throne). All this and rocking with Noam Navo!

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss (1) Why the Conference of Presidents decided to keep J-Street out of their nifty club, and what’ll happen as a result, and (2) Why the proliferating “alternative” ceremonies for Memorial Day and Independence day piss off so many. Plus (3) OurFirst Annual Promised Podcast State of the State Addresses (or, for you commonwealth times, our First Annual Speech from the Throne). All this and rocking with Noam Navo!

]]>01:00:53noPoliticizing, Psychologizing & CorporatizingThu, 01 May 2014 12:50:47 +0000Show Summary – Allison, Don, Eilon and Noah discuss (1) Whether we are cheapening the memory of the Holocaust by applying it to our present-day politics, (2) Whether the amateur Abbasologists filing newspaper opinion columns have a clue about what motivates Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and (3) Whether or not the remodeling of Israeli schools into cubical habitats to prepare kids for office life should make us want to barf. All this, and the music of Dafna ve-ha Oogiot!

Music: All songs by Dafna ve-ha-Oogiot (with special thanks to the brilliant and charming NYU PhD candidate Sandy Fox for the tip)Dafna PikWhat a manThe future looks promisingPoor thing

]]>Show Summary – Allison, Don, Eilon and Noah discuss (1) Whether we are cheapening the memory of the Holocaust by applying it to our present-day politics, (2) Whether the amateur Abbasologists filing newspaper opinion columns have a clue about what motivates Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and (3) Whether or not the remodeling of Israeli schools into cubical habitats to prepare kids for office life should make us want to barf. All this, and the music of Dafna ve-ha Oogiot!

Music: All songs by Dafna ve-ha-Oogiot (with special thanks to the brilliant and charming NYU PhD candidate Sandy Fox for the tip)Dafna PikWhat a manThe future looks promisingPoor thing

Mahmoud Abbas’ two “Hail Mary” plays, either dismantling the Palestinian Authority or joining up with HamasThe new 83 year-old head of the Council of Torah Sages, who gave a crowd-pleasin’ inaugural address calling all those who are not ultra-orthodox “ignoramuses” who “pursue nonsense”The mind-blowing new report of the OECD that finds that Israel is “the land of low taxes”

Music: All Songs by Uzi Ramirez, in honor of his new album that just came out last week, Cheese in My Pocket

I know its mine

Cheese in my Pocket

Surrender

The elevator goes up and down

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss:

Mahmoud Abbas’ two “Hail Mary” plays, either dismantling the Palestinian Authority or joining up with HamasThe new 83 year-old head of the Council of Torah Sages, who gave a crowd-pleasin’ inaugural address calling all those who are not ultra-orthodox “ignoramuses” who “pursue nonsense”The mind-blowing new report of the OECD that finds that Israel is “the land of low taxes”

Music: All Songs by Uzi Ramirez, in honor of his new album that just came out last week, Cheese in My Pocket

the growing trend in the army to rely on donations by well-wishers for basic supplies like boots and sockswhy the peace process seems to be gasping its last gaspwhether or not it should bug us that the average CEO in Israel makes 76 times what the average rest-of-us make

Music: All Songs by The Hazelnuts (האחיות לוז)

Single Ladies (with a tip of the hat to Beyonce)

Crazy People

Shout Sister Should

Letting in Song

]]>Don, Eilon, and Noah discuss:

the growing trend in the army to rely on donations by well-wishers for basic supplies like boots and sockswhy the peace process seems to be gasping its last gaspwhether or not it should bug us that the average CEO in Israel makes 76 times what the average rest-of-us make

a new report finding that almost a million Israelis go to bed hungrywhether Israeli leaders ain’t what they used to be, and whywhether or not stores in Jewish neighborhoods should sell leavened bread on Passover.

]]>Don, Noah, and Miriam Herschlag (Ops & Blogs editor of the Times of Israel) discuss:

a new report finding that almost a million Israelis go to bed hungrywhether Israeli leaders ain’t what they used to be, and whywhether or not stores in Jewish neighborhoods should sell leavened bread on Passover.

]]>01:01:16noTrading Places, Taking Bribes & Playing with KnivesThu, 03 Apr 2014 11:54:23 +0000Allison, Don and Noah discuss (1) whether Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s proposal to exchange blocs of population is sincere or mere smartassery, (2) How do we solve a problem like corruption? (With apologies to Rogers and Hammerstein), and (3) Why Israeli parents let their kids play with fire and rusty nails, and take candy from strangers? All this, and the music of Vitarti on the week of their valedictory concert!

]]>Allison, Don and Noah discuss (1) whether Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s proposal to exchange blocs of population is sincere or mere smartassery, (2) How do we solve a problem like corruption? (With apologies to Rogers and Hammerstein), and (3) Why Israeli parents let their kids play with fire and rusty nails, and take candy from strangers? All this, and the music of Vitarti on the week of their valedictory concert!